This is the cool but momentarily alarming moment in London on January 17 as the sun appears to be falling apart, dooming humanity to a bleak and blighted future, although that isn't the case at all.

"This is of course an illusion. What looks like the sun is really the moon that due to a combination of camera exposure and the time of day this was because the moon was rising as the sun was setting. Just as an aircraft was flying towards the camera. As the sun was directly in front of the aircraft, the aircraft was reflecting the sun. Creating this rather odd-looking scene. Which, made it look like a part of the sun was flying away," described the filmer to Newsflare.

Amazing video showing what looks like a piece of the sun detaching itself and flying away.

This is of course an illusion. What looks like the sun is really the moon that due to a combination of camera exposure and the time of day this was because

The moon was rising as the sun was setting. Just as an aircraft was flying towards the camera. As the sun was directly in front of the aircraft, the aircraft was reflecting the sun. Creating this rather odd-looking scene. Which, made it look like a part of the Sun was flying away

The footage was filmed near the River Thames in Londons Docklands