Hundreds of people across Ontario looked up to the skies to view the total solar eclipse on Monday – a rare celestial event that will not return for another 120 years.
While the eclipse in and of itself is a sight to behold, a few other notable moments happened throughout the day that made it all the more special.
Here are some highlights that occurred throughout the once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse.
Niagara Falls broke a Guinness World Record
The City of Niagara Falls set a new world record during the eclipse on Monday.
In a release, the city, in partnership with Niagara Falls Tourism, said it has broken the Guinness World Record for the “largest gathering of people dressed as the sun” with 309 people sporting themed outfits on a Niagara City Cruise.
The last record holder was China Life Insurance Company Limited, which earned that record in 2020 with 287 participants.
The City of Niagara Falls, and Niagara Falls Tourism, earned a Guinness World Record during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. (City of Niagara Falls Canada)
Couple ties the knot during the eclipse
Stephanie Robinson and Noel Thompson decided to exchange their wedding vows on the day of the total solar eclipse on Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ont. Here, the peak of the solar eclipse lasted about three minutes and 45 seconds, the longest across the province.
“I thought it was fun and important astronomically with the sun and moon coming together,” Robinson told CTV News Toronto. “I thought it was very romantic.”
Hoards of people started to fill the beach to view the eclipse – something the newlywed couple said they didn’t consider.
“I didn’t expect anything like this,” Thompson told CP24. “I just want to be with my love, that’s it, and just share the moment. I didn’t expect anyone.”
Toronto’s skies clear after the eclipse peaks
Clouds draped over the sun right as the moon passed over during the height of the eclipse, posing a challenge to eclipse chasers yearning to view the rare celestial event with a crystal clear view.
Skywatchers could still catch a glimpse of the eclipse beneath the shroud of clouds and witness the skies darken for a moment during the afternoon. Soon after the eclipse ended, however, clearer skies swept across Toronto.
During the peak of the solar eclipse in Toronto (left) and after the eclipse ended (right). (Hannah Alberga/CTV News Toronto, Joanna Lavoie/CP24)
Mayor Olivia Chow joins more 900 children for viewing party
More than 900 kids attended the solar eclipse viewing party at Downsview Airport in North York, where they learned what eclipses signify for First Nations peoples.
“It’s special that we could actually experience this, the grandmother moon and the grandfather sun, they’re going to connect with each other. That’s very rare,” Mayor Olivia Chow told CP24 Monday afternoon.
“We have Indigenous folks here giving us some history on how they view things and in some ways for me, times are sometimes dark, and we do know the sun will come back out. So, for me, this is a season of spring of hope, even though total darkness is going to depend upon us in the most unexpected way.”
Wolves frolicked during the eclipse at the Toronto Zoo
The thousands who gathered at the Toronto Zoo on Monday not only got to witness the rare celestial event, but also witness the animals’ reactions to the eclipse.
“The chance to monitor and see how they react to something completely unexpected that’s a long way outside of their normal, I think it’s an opportunity for us to test some hypotheses, get the community involved, and improve the understanding of the animals in our care,” Dolf DeJong, Toronto Zoo’s CEO, told CTV News Toronto’s Natalie Johnson on Monday.
At the zoo, it seemed that the polar bears could not be bothered by the solar eclipse, but the wolves were seen frolicking and acting more lively during the celestial show.
The wolves were seen frolicking during the peak of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. (CTV News Toronto)
“Eerie seeing that honestly, my attention was kind of divided between the eclipse itself and the wolves,” Ezekial Gading said. “It was pretty interesting to see how the [wolves’] activity level was pretty high around that time.”
While the eclipse started at about 2 p.m., it peaked at 3:19 p.m. in Toronto and ended at about 4:30 p.m. The next total solar eclipse Ontarians can view will be in 2144.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Natalie Johnson
