By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/photos-the-2024-total-solar-eclipse Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter PHOTOS: The 2024 total solar eclipse Science Updated on Apr 8, 2024 5:14 PM EDT — Published on Apr 8, 2024 1:04 PM EDT A total solar eclipse crossed North America on Monday, darkening skies along a path through Mexico, the United States and Canada. A solar eclipse is seen from Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Total eclipse races across North America A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent. Monday’s spectacle was watched by millions in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It was North America’s biggest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to the densely populated path. Cloud cover threatened to spoil the view in some places, especially in parts of Texas, but the skies cleared with minutes to spare. A solar eclipse is seen through the clouds on April 8, 2024 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images One place that got stuck with clouds: Niagara Falls, New York. Totality arrived to whoops and cheers from spectators at Niagara Falls State Park. Justin Pape drove 6 hours from York, Pennsylvania, with his family to be in the path. He says “it’s unfortunate it was cloudy” but they still got to see a glimpse of it and it still got dark. During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes in front of the sun and blocks the sunlight for a few minutes. There won’t be another coast-to-coast spectacle on the continent until 2045. A woman holds a pair of eclipse glasses on a child’s face at Saluki Stadium, as the moon partially blocks the sun, ahead of a total solar eclipse, where the moon will blot out the sun, in Carbondale, Illinois, U.S. April 8, 2024. Photo by Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Total solar eclipse exits North America The sun is reappearing from behind the moon as the total solar eclipse leaves North America. There won’t be another coast-to-coast spectacle on the continent until 2045. Aubrey Fender, 11, tries on eclipse glasses during a practice round for the Masters Tournament golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Apr 8, 2024, Augusta, Georgia, USA. Photo by Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network Dallas students elated by eclipse DALLAS – Emergency lights clicked on outside D.A. Hulcy Middle School as the last sliver of the sun disappeared. Students cheered and whooped, sitting on towels and picnic blankets in an adjacent parking lot. “I’m a new person,” eighth grader Nia Modkins said. A boy watches a total solar eclipse, where the moon blots out the sun, in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S. April 8, 2024. Photo by Christian Monterrosa/Reuters Students and teachers took off their eclipse glasses and pointed at the sky, taking pictures and videos. Once three minutes elapsed, their teachers told them to put their eclipse glasses back on as the sun prepared for its return act. Once daylight swept over the parking lot again, eighth grader Sky Johnson swiped through her phone, looking for the video she’d taken during totality. “Two minutes of me screaming, literally,” she said. By Adithi Ramakrishnan A child watches the partial solar eclipse, where the moon partially blots out the sun, at Liberty Island in New York City, U.S., April 8, 2024. Photo by David Dee Delgado/Reuters Beaches grow dark in Mexico MAZATLAN, Mexico – Mazatlan’s sparkling beaches have been cast into darkness as the total solar eclipse reaches its maximum coverage. Hundreds of gathered faces were illuminated only by the screens of their cellphones as they tried to capture the slightly more than 4 minutes of totality. Palm trees were silhouetted against a faint glow near the horizon like one of the resort’s famous sunsets, but coming before noon. Karen Ibarra, of Colombia, is a researcher at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. She came to Mazatlan for the eclipse. As darkness blanketed the coast she said, “seeing the corona is the best.” Visitors and locals use their phones as they observe the total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Total solar eclipse reaches U.S. on way to Canada The moon’s shadow has moved into the U.S. with cloudy skies in store for a part of the total eclipse path from Texas to Maine. The eclipse cuts through major cities including Dallas; Austin, Texas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; and Niagara Falls, New York. Total solar eclipse begins in North America over Mexico A total solar eclipse has reached North America over Mexico as throngs gather along the country’s Pacific coast. It’ll race toward United States and eastern Canada before exiting into the Atlantic. People use special protective glasses to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Texans thankful for breaks in clouds MESQUITE, Texas – City officials cheered as the thick clouds parted in early afternoon and the sun peeked out, with the moon already taking a bite out of it. “We special ordered the sun this morning,” said downtown development manager Beverly Abell. Hundreds gathered at Front Street Station for the outdoor watch party, many pulling out their eclipse glasses to watch the moon’s bite grow ever bigger. At the Fort Worth Zoo, clouds occasionally moved over as the eclipse started. Zoo patrons stopped along the paths to take it in. Todd Beeby, 34, drove up with friends from Houston. He said that even with some clouds moving over, the viewing was good. “It’s kind of neat to see it roll in and out,” he said. A man looks up as people gather to view a total solar eclipse, where the moon will blot out the sun, in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S. April 8, 2024. Photo by Christian Monterrosa/Reuters Cheers in Mexico as moon begins passing over sun MAZATLAN, Mexico – Cheers broke out along the beach in this resort city as the moon began to pass over the sun. Hundreds in a beachside park had passed the waiting time by readying their equipment and listening to a youth orchestra play Star Wars songs while a large screen projected images of Princess Leia behind them. Luz Elena Aguillón de la O sat in the grass with a group of 14 family and friends who had gathered from Mexico City, Guanajuato and right here in Mazatlan to take in the spectacle. “Happy to be here with family, friends sharing a singular, unrepeatable event that the universe and nature give us,” she said. People use special protective glasses to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Biden encourages Americans to wear eye protection WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden posted a brief video on X to encourage Americans to wear eye protection when viewing the eclipse – in a subtle dig at his predecessor and 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump. “Folks, enjoy the eclipse, but play it safe, don’t be silly,” Biden said in a video showing him donning eclipse glasses and looking skyward from the balcony outside the Blue Room of the White House. Rainbow forms over Niagara Falls as people wait for a solar eclipse at Niagara Falls in New York, U.S., April 8, 2024. Photo by Aleksandra Michalska/Reuters That’s the spot where Trump glanced up toward the sun without eye protection in 2017. Biden is traveling to Wisconsin, which, like Washington, will experience a partial eclipse on Monday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had no details to share on whether Biden would view the phenomenon. Total solar eclipse begins over pacific The moon has started to cover up the sun as a partial eclipse begins over the South Pacific. Millions along a narrow corridor in North America from Mexico’s Pacific coast to eastern Canada hope for clouds to clear as they eagerly wait for totality to reach their location. The U.S. Capitol Building is visible as people view the partial solar eclipse on Capitol Hill on April 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. People have traveled to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today, with the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t happen until 2044. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Mexican beach town is first in line for totality MAZATLAN, Mexico – Valeria Rosas says her four kids had been so excited by an October partial solar eclipse that passed over southeast Mexico, that she decided to come to this Pacific coast beach city for Monday’s total eclipse. The 32-year-old drove eight hours from Leon, Guanajuato, with 10 friends and relatives. People prepare their telescopes as they gather and wait to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by REUTERS/Henry Romero They joined hundreds of others in a beachside park under blue skies streaked with wispy clouds. It’s the first part of North America that will get to see the total eclipse. Rosas’ mother, Carmen Loza Rodríguez, recalled that Rosas was a baby when Mexico last saw a total solar eclipse in 1991. “How cool that we have the opportunity to experience it in this digital age, that we can share it with the world,” Rosas said. Spectators arrive early at Niagara Falls NIAGARA FALLS, New York — The main attraction at Niagara Falls is typically the more than 750,000 gallons of water that rush over the brink every second. On Monday, it was the eclipse. Tourists streamed into Niagara Falls State Park with wagons, strollers, coolers and chairs. Photographers’ tripods lined a railing under cloudy skies. Some of the 309 people gathered to break the Guinness World Record for the largest group of people dressed as the sun pose on a sightseeing boat, before the total solar eclipse in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada April 8, 2024. Photo by REUTERS/Jenna Zucker Synthia Nguyen and Jen Cerna from Washington, D.C., claimed a prime lawn spot along the rapids, arriving at 6 a.m. with chairs, a blanket and a tent — that they were quickly asked to take down. They were excited that totality would last a few minutes, long enough for it to sink in. The pair work in an ophthalmology office. “We’re expecting a lot of calls tomorrow,” Cerna said. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
A total solar eclipse crossed North America on Monday, darkening skies along a path through Mexico, the United States and Canada. A solar eclipse is seen from Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Total eclipse races across North America A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent. Monday’s spectacle was watched by millions in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It was North America’s biggest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to the densely populated path. Cloud cover threatened to spoil the view in some places, especially in parts of Texas, but the skies cleared with minutes to spare. A solar eclipse is seen through the clouds on April 8, 2024 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images One place that got stuck with clouds: Niagara Falls, New York. Totality arrived to whoops and cheers from spectators at Niagara Falls State Park. Justin Pape drove 6 hours from York, Pennsylvania, with his family to be in the path. He says “it’s unfortunate it was cloudy” but they still got to see a glimpse of it and it still got dark. During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes in front of the sun and blocks the sunlight for a few minutes. There won’t be another coast-to-coast spectacle on the continent until 2045. A woman holds a pair of eclipse glasses on a child’s face at Saluki Stadium, as the moon partially blocks the sun, ahead of a total solar eclipse, where the moon will blot out the sun, in Carbondale, Illinois, U.S. April 8, 2024. Photo by Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Total solar eclipse exits North America The sun is reappearing from behind the moon as the total solar eclipse leaves North America. There won’t be another coast-to-coast spectacle on the continent until 2045. Aubrey Fender, 11, tries on eclipse glasses during a practice round for the Masters Tournament golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Apr 8, 2024, Augusta, Georgia, USA. Photo by Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network Dallas students elated by eclipse DALLAS – Emergency lights clicked on outside D.A. Hulcy Middle School as the last sliver of the sun disappeared. Students cheered and whooped, sitting on towels and picnic blankets in an adjacent parking lot. “I’m a new person,” eighth grader Nia Modkins said. A boy watches a total solar eclipse, where the moon blots out the sun, in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S. April 8, 2024. Photo by Christian Monterrosa/Reuters Students and teachers took off their eclipse glasses and pointed at the sky, taking pictures and videos. Once three minutes elapsed, their teachers told them to put their eclipse glasses back on as the sun prepared for its return act. Once daylight swept over the parking lot again, eighth grader Sky Johnson swiped through her phone, looking for the video she’d taken during totality. “Two minutes of me screaming, literally,” she said. By Adithi Ramakrishnan A child watches the partial solar eclipse, where the moon partially blots out the sun, at Liberty Island in New York City, U.S., April 8, 2024. Photo by David Dee Delgado/Reuters Beaches grow dark in Mexico MAZATLAN, Mexico – Mazatlan’s sparkling beaches have been cast into darkness as the total solar eclipse reaches its maximum coverage. Hundreds of gathered faces were illuminated only by the screens of their cellphones as they tried to capture the slightly more than 4 minutes of totality. Palm trees were silhouetted against a faint glow near the horizon like one of the resort’s famous sunsets, but coming before noon. Karen Ibarra, of Colombia, is a researcher at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. She came to Mazatlan for the eclipse. As darkness blanketed the coast she said, “seeing the corona is the best.” Visitors and locals use their phones as they observe the total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Total solar eclipse reaches U.S. on way to Canada The moon’s shadow has moved into the U.S. with cloudy skies in store for a part of the total eclipse path from Texas to Maine. The eclipse cuts through major cities including Dallas; Austin, Texas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; and Niagara Falls, New York. Total solar eclipse begins in North America over Mexico A total solar eclipse has reached North America over Mexico as throngs gather along the country’s Pacific coast. It’ll race toward United States and eastern Canada before exiting into the Atlantic. People use special protective glasses to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Texans thankful for breaks in clouds MESQUITE, Texas – City officials cheered as the thick clouds parted in early afternoon and the sun peeked out, with the moon already taking a bite out of it. “We special ordered the sun this morning,” said downtown development manager Beverly Abell. Hundreds gathered at Front Street Station for the outdoor watch party, many pulling out their eclipse glasses to watch the moon’s bite grow ever bigger. At the Fort Worth Zoo, clouds occasionally moved over as the eclipse started. Zoo patrons stopped along the paths to take it in. Todd Beeby, 34, drove up with friends from Houston. He said that even with some clouds moving over, the viewing was good. “It’s kind of neat to see it roll in and out,” he said. A man looks up as people gather to view a total solar eclipse, where the moon will blot out the sun, in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S. April 8, 2024. Photo by Christian Monterrosa/Reuters Cheers in Mexico as moon begins passing over sun MAZATLAN, Mexico – Cheers broke out along the beach in this resort city as the moon began to pass over the sun. Hundreds in a beachside park had passed the waiting time by readying their equipment and listening to a youth orchestra play Star Wars songs while a large screen projected images of Princess Leia behind them. Luz Elena Aguillón de la O sat in the grass with a group of 14 family and friends who had gathered from Mexico City, Guanajuato and right here in Mazatlan to take in the spectacle. “Happy to be here with family, friends sharing a singular, unrepeatable event that the universe and nature give us,” she said. People use special protective glasses to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters Biden encourages Americans to wear eye protection WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden posted a brief video on X to encourage Americans to wear eye protection when viewing the eclipse – in a subtle dig at his predecessor and 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump. “Folks, enjoy the eclipse, but play it safe, don’t be silly,” Biden said in a video showing him donning eclipse glasses and looking skyward from the balcony outside the Blue Room of the White House. Rainbow forms over Niagara Falls as people wait for a solar eclipse at Niagara Falls in New York, U.S., April 8, 2024. Photo by Aleksandra Michalska/Reuters That’s the spot where Trump glanced up toward the sun without eye protection in 2017. Biden is traveling to Wisconsin, which, like Washington, will experience a partial eclipse on Monday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had no details to share on whether Biden would view the phenomenon. Total solar eclipse begins over pacific The moon has started to cover up the sun as a partial eclipse begins over the South Pacific. Millions along a narrow corridor in North America from Mexico’s Pacific coast to eastern Canada hope for clouds to clear as they eagerly wait for totality to reach their location. The U.S. Capitol Building is visible as people view the partial solar eclipse on Capitol Hill on April 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. People have traveled to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today, with the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t happen until 2044. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Mexican beach town is first in line for totality MAZATLAN, Mexico – Valeria Rosas says her four kids had been so excited by an October partial solar eclipse that passed over southeast Mexico, that she decided to come to this Pacific coast beach city for Monday’s total eclipse. The 32-year-old drove eight hours from Leon, Guanajuato, with 10 friends and relatives. People prepare their telescopes as they gather and wait to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Photo by REUTERS/Henry Romero They joined hundreds of others in a beachside park under blue skies streaked with wispy clouds. It’s the first part of North America that will get to see the total eclipse. Rosas’ mother, Carmen Loza Rodríguez, recalled that Rosas was a baby when Mexico last saw a total solar eclipse in 1991. “How cool that we have the opportunity to experience it in this digital age, that we can share it with the world,” Rosas said. Spectators arrive early at Niagara Falls NIAGARA FALLS, New York — The main attraction at Niagara Falls is typically the more than 750,000 gallons of water that rush over the brink every second. On Monday, it was the eclipse. Tourists streamed into Niagara Falls State Park with wagons, strollers, coolers and chairs. Photographers’ tripods lined a railing under cloudy skies. Some of the 309 people gathered to break the Guinness World Record for the largest group of people dressed as the sun pose on a sightseeing boat, before the total solar eclipse in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada April 8, 2024. Photo by REUTERS/Jenna Zucker Synthia Nguyen and Jen Cerna from Washington, D.C., claimed a prime lawn spot along the rapids, arriving at 6 a.m. with chairs, a blanket and a tent — that they were quickly asked to take down. They were excited that totality would last a few minutes, long enough for it to sink in. The pair work in an ophthalmology office. “We’re expecting a lot of calls tomorrow,” Cerna said. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now