The moon passes the sun during a solar eclipse on Monday in Ste. Genevieve, Mo.
Eric Lee/STLPR
hide caption
Eric Lee/STLPR
The moon passes the sun during a solar eclipse on Monday in Ste. Genevieve, Mo.
Eric Lee/STLPR
A rare solar eclipse swept across parts of the U.S. on Monday, leaving considerable awe, mesmerizing photographs and scores of paper sunglasses in its wake.
It first appeared along Mexico’s Pacific Coast just after 11 a.m. PT before crossing into Texas as a partial eclipse, progressing to totality around 1:30 p.m. CT.
It made its way north over the next several hours, bringing brief moments — no more than five minutes’ worth — of daytime darkness to areas in the over 100-mile wide path of totality.
The eclipse crossed through parts of 15 states, with totality ending in Maine just after 3:30 p.m. ET. It continued from there into Canada, exiting shortly after 5:15 p.m. — and marking the last glimpse of a total solar eclipse that the contiguous U.S. will see until August 2044.
Marianna Davenport, Jada Trice, David Price, Brinson Davenport, Kassie Lamoureux, Landon Gardner, and Hannah Noble watch the eclipse in Searcy, Ark.
Nick Michael/NPR
hide caption
Nick Michael/NPR
Chris Mandrell, project cooridinator for Southern Illinois University’s dynamic eclipse broadcast, focuses a telescope ahead of the total solar eclipse on Sunday at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.
Brian Munoz/STLPR
hide caption
Brian Munoz/STLPR
Chris Mandrell, project cooridinator for Southern Illinois University’s dynamic eclipse broadcast, focuses a telescope ahead of the total solar eclipse on Sunday at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.
Brian Munoz/STLPR
Americans traveled, braving traffic and crowds
Over 30 million Americans live within the path of totality, according to NASA — and many more traveled, either across town or out of state, for peak eclipse viewing.
Many communities in the path had long been preparing for the eclipse, the first in the U.S. since 2017.
Officials in Houlton, Maine — the last U.S. city in the eclipse’s path — spent over two years planning days of festivities. So did Muncie, Ind., where one museum official told NPR the city was expecting some 100,000 visitors — nearly doubling the population.
In the days leading up to the eclipse, the governors of Arkansas and Indiana and leaders in several counties and cities across the eclipse’s path declared states of emergency to make more resources available to deal with the influx of visitors.
Monday morning saw roads snarled with traffic and parking lots packed to capacity, according to NPR stations.
Bride and groom Kylee and Michael Rice prepare to take a hot air balloon ride before a planned mass wedding of over 200 couples at the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival in Russellville, Ark.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
hide caption
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Eclipse watchers fill the lawn at Observatory Park, near the University of Denver, as the sun is partially blocked by the moon.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
hide caption
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Eclipse watchers fill the lawn at Observatory Park, near the University of Denver, as the sun is partially blocked by the moon.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Cloudy weather didn’t dampen spirits
Forecasters have spent days trying to pinpoint how potential rainy or cloudy weather could put a damper on eclipse viewing and warning of possible storms in Texas and other places.
The National Weather Service confirmed midday Monday that cloud coverage would impact the view throughout much of the path of totality, though the clouds would be high enough in certain areas — largely in New England — to not obscure it completely.
The moon begins to pass over the lower part of the sun during a total solar eclipse, seen from Pittock Mansion in Portland, Ore.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff/OPB
hide caption
Kristyna Wentz-Graff/OPB
The moon begins to pass over the lower part of the sun during a total solar eclipse, seen from Pittock Mansion in Portland, Ore.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff/OPB
Mindy and Jas Gill take photos with daughter Jaclyn, 15, and Jasmine, 10 during the totality during the eclipse event at Cotton Bowl stadium in Dallas.
Yfat Yossifor/K
Source link
