By — Julia Griffin Julia Griffin Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/photographs-capture-eclipse-crosses-continental-u-s Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter These photographs capture the eclipse as it crosses the continental U.S. Science Aug 21, 2017 10:38 AM EDT Stargazers across the United States readied their solar glasses, pinhole projectors and specially-outfitted telescopes today to witness the cosmic event of the year. For the first time in nearly a century, a total solar eclipse is casting a shadow from coast to coast and plunging millions of eager onlookers into temporary darkness. Those lucky enough to be standing under the path of totality — the 70-mile-wide, 3,000-mile-long swatch directly below the shadow of the moon — will be treated to a view of the moon fully blocking out our sun. A woman looks through a telescope on the football field at Madras High School the evening before a solar eclipse in Madras, Oregon. Photo by Jason Redmond/Reuters But other Americans can take part, too, because everyone in the continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska will be treated to at least a partial eclipse — provided cloudless skies clear the way. From the “first kiss” in Lincoln Beach, Oregon, to the final moment of totality in Charleston, South Carolina, here are some of the memorable moments of 2017’s total solar eclipse. A worker passes out solar viewing glasses to guests at the football stadium before the total solar eclipse at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Photo by Brian Snyder/Reuters People use solar viewing glasses as the sun emerges through fog cover before the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters The sun is partially obscured during the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Photos by Mike Blake/Reuters Eclipse fans stand in line to look through a telescope as they wait for the beginning of the solar eclipse at the James Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Photo by John Sommers II/Reuters People watch the solar eclipse during the Lowell Observatory Solar Eclipse Experience at Madras High School in Madras, Oregon. Photo by Jason Redmond/Reuters People watch the solar eclipse in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo by Harrison McClary/Reuters Tanner Person (R) and Josh Blink watch the total solar eclipse while standing atop Carroll Rim Trail at Painted Hills, a unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, near Mitchell, Oregon. Photo by Adrees Latif/Reuters People watch as the solar eclipse approaches totality from Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Members of the media watch the solar eclipse at the White House in Washington D.C.. Photo by Yuri Gripas/Reuters The sun is obscured by the moon during the solar eclipse as seen from an Alaska Airlines commercial jet at 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Depoe Bay, Oregon. Photo by Jim Urquhart/Reuters Brothers Chris and Gabe Fabiano watch the solar eclipse on the beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. READ MORE: 5 things you should remember as you prepare for the great solar eclipse We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Julia Griffin Julia Griffin Julia Griffin is senior coordinator of digital video at PBS NewsHour where she oversees the daily production of video content for the organization’s website and social media platforms.
Stargazers across the United States readied their solar glasses, pinhole projectors and specially-outfitted telescopes today to witness the cosmic event of the year. For the first time in nearly a century, a total solar eclipse is casting a shadow from coast to coast and plunging millions of eager onlookers into temporary darkness. Those lucky enough to be standing under the path of totality — the 70-mile-wide, 3,000-mile-long swatch directly below the shadow of the moon — will be treated to a view of the moon fully blocking out our sun. A woman looks through a telescope on the football field at Madras High School the evening before a solar eclipse in Madras, Oregon. Photo by Jason Redmond/Reuters But other Americans can take part, too, because everyone in the continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska will be treated to at least a partial eclipse — provided cloudless skies clear the way. From the “first kiss” in Lincoln Beach, Oregon, to the final moment of totality in Charleston, South Carolina, here are some of the memorable moments of 2017’s total solar eclipse. A worker passes out solar viewing glasses to guests at the football stadium before the total solar eclipse at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Photo by Brian Snyder/Reuters People use solar viewing glasses as the sun emerges through fog cover before the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters The sun is partially obscured during the solar eclipse in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Photos by Mike Blake/Reuters Eclipse fans stand in line to look through a telescope as they wait for the beginning of the solar eclipse at the James Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Photo by John Sommers II/Reuters People watch the solar eclipse during the Lowell Observatory Solar Eclipse Experience at Madras High School in Madras, Oregon. Photo by Jason Redmond/Reuters People watch the solar eclipse in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo by Harrison McClary/Reuters Tanner Person (R) and Josh Blink watch the total solar eclipse while standing atop Carroll Rim Trail at Painted Hills, a unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, near Mitchell, Oregon. Photo by Adrees Latif/Reuters People watch as the solar eclipse approaches totality from Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Members of the media watch the solar eclipse at the White House in Washington D.C.. Photo by Yuri Gripas/Reuters The sun is obscured by the moon during the solar eclipse as seen from an Alaska Airlines commercial jet at 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Depoe Bay, Oregon. Photo by Jim Urquhart/Reuters Brothers Chris and Gabe Fabiano watch the solar eclipse on the beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. READ MORE: 5 things you should remember as you prepare for the great solar eclipse We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now