Indonesia to mark event with rituals, prayers

A total solar eclipse will sweep across the vast Indonesian archipelago this week, witnessed by hordes of sky gazers and marked by parties, colorful tribal rituals and Muslim prayers.

From jungle-clad Sumatra in the west to the spice-fringed Maluku Islands in the east, people will flock on Wednesday to watch the eclipse travel in a broad arc across the world's biggest archipelago nation.

About 10,000 foreign visitors and 100,000 Indonesian tourists are expected to view the spectacle, and special events have been organized across the country, from a festival featuring live bands to dragon boat races.