On Monday, April 8th, at noon, the only total solar eclipse of the year covered the entire North American continent, with almost every part of North America witnessing at least a partial eclipse. The moon obscured the sun for several minutes, delighting eclipse enthusiasts across Mexico, the United States, and Canada, in what became the largest solar eclipse event in the history of the European continent.

During the total eclipse on Monday, the moon perfectly aligned in front of the sun, completely blocking it and leaving only a halo of light. This twilight effect, caused by only the outer atmosphere or corona of the sun being visible, allowed planets and stars to be seen during the daytime.

The asynchronous darkness across different parts of North America lasted for 4 minutes and 28 seconds, nearly twice as long as the solar eclipse in the United States seven years ago, due to the moon being closer to Earth.

As the total eclipse began its diagonal path across land, cloud cover obscured much of Texas, starting from the Pacific coast of Mexico and moving towards Texas and 14 other states before reaching the North Atlantic near Newfoundland. Approximately 44 million people lived within the path of totality, with hundreds of millions more residing within 200 miles (320 kilometers).

The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The path of totality, approximately 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide, covered several major cities, including Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York, and Montreal. Around 44 million people lived within this path, with hundreds of millions more residing within 200 miles (320 kilometers).

In Georgetown, Texas, the sky cleared just in time for spectators to view the eclipse, while in other areas, the eclipse was partially obscured by clouds.

The best clear skies for viewing the eclipse on Monday were in northern New England and Canada, attracting many spectators.

At Niagara Falls State Park, viewers watching the eclipse were only covered in darkness and could not see the corona landscape.

Just east of Dallas, as the clouds completely cleared in the last few minutes before the total eclipse, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Mesquite cheered as they welcomed the eclipse with an unobstructed view. As the sun was finally obscured, the crowd removed their eclipse glasses and immersed themselves in the unforgettable sight of the corona (the spiky outer atmosphere) and the shimmering Venus to the right.

A total solar eclipse is shown over the Paris Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Source：https://apnews.com/article/total-solar-eclipse-sun-moon-a667cf827dd4d78d1f41fdd5483e3508