People look toward the sky at the ‘Edge at Hudson Yards’ observation deck ahead of a total solar eclipse across North America, in New York City on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
MESQUITE, Texas (AP) — A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America on Monday as a total solar eclipse began its race across the continent, thrilling those lucky enough to behold the spectacle through clear skies.
Eclipse mania gripped all of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, as the moon swept in front of the sun, blotting out daylight. Almost everyone in North America was guaranteed at least a partial eclipse, weather permitting.
It was the continent’s biggest eclipse audience ever, with a couple hundred million people living in or near the shadow’s path, plus scores of out-of-towners flocking in.
MAZATLAN, MEXICO – APRIL 08: The sun disappears behind the moon during the Great North American Eclipse on April 08, 2024 in Mazatlan, Mexico. 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 Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
People look toward the sky at the ‘Edge at Hudson Yards’ observation deck ahead of a total solar eclipse across North America, in New York City on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 8: Barbara McLaughlin from Washington, DC, and her granddaughter test out their eclipse viewing glasses by looking towards the sun as they and people gather on the National Mall to view the partial solar eclipse 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 Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 8: The moon eclipses the sun on April 8, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. 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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Fransisco Vielma, science and social studies director for Eagle Pass ISD, looks at the sun ahead of a total solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024, at Eagle Pass Student Activities Center in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Sasha Mahler, 8, of Munster, Ind. has her face painted with a sun during a total eclipse viewing event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Tawhid Rana, of Midland, Mich., hold his daughter Thia, as she views the sun through a telescope at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 8: The solar eclipse is seen on April 8, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. 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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
People wait to watch a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
An amateur astronomer prepares her telescope a day before a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Groups of tourists streamed into Niagara Falls State Park to view the solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson)
A sign in the town square greets visitors in Paris, Texas, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Paris is one of many small towns along the route where the eclipse can be observd from. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 8: The moon begins to eclipse the sun on April 8, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. 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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Sara Luneau, 57, poses at Jay Peak ski resort in Jay, Vermont, Monday, April 8, 2024. Luneau and her 16-year-old niece are among the lucky 100 or so skiers and snowboarders who will get a chance to ride the tram to the top of the mountain and view the eclipse from nearly 4,000 feet elevation. (AP Photo/Susan Haigh)
Eclipse glasses are shown at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Synthia Nguyen and Jen Cerna from Washington, DC, claimed a prime spot on the lawn along the rapids in Niagara Falls State Park, to view the solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson)
Vicki and Craig Musser, of Vernon Hills, Ill. take a selfie with a total eclipse themed race car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
MAZATLAN, MEXICO – APRIL 08: A person uses two sets of glasses to see the eclipse on April 08, 2024 in Mazatlan, Mexico. 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 Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
MAZATLAN, MEXICO – APRIL 08: A woman puts on her glasses to see the eclipse on April 08, 2024 in Mazatlan, Mexico. 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 Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS – APRIL 08: A youngster looks at the sun through binoculars at the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. 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 Mario Tama/Getty Images)
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS – APRIL 08: 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 on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. 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 Mario Tama/Getty Images)
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS – APRIL 08: Bride and groom Randy and Michelle Weller kiss before a planned mass wedding of over 200 couples at the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. 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 Mario Tama/Getty Images)
People gather on ‘The Edge’ observation deck ahead of a total solar eclipse across North America, in New York City on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
TORREON, MEXICO – APRIL 8: A man sets up his telescope to see the eclipse at Bosque Urbano on April 8, 2024 in Torreon, Mexico. 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 Getty Images/Getty Images)
People gather at the ‘The Edge’ observation deck ahead of a total solar eclipse across North America, in New York City on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman looks toward the sky at the ‘Edge at Hudson Yards’ observation deck ahead of a total solar eclipse across North America, in New York City on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks to the media at Niagara Falls State Park ahead of a total solar eclipse across North America, in Niagara Falls, New York, on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Clouds blanketed most of Texas as total solar eclipse began its diagonal dash across land, starting along Mexico’s mostly clear Pacific coast and aiming for Texas and 14 other U.S. States, before exiting into the North Atlantic near Newfoundland.
In Georgetown, Texas, the hundreds gathered on the Southwestern University lawn cheered when the skies cleared just in time to give spectators a clear view.
“We are really lucky,” said Georgetown resident Susan Robertson. “Even with the clouds it is kind of nice because when it clears up it is like wow.”
Arkansas and northeast New England were the best bets in the U.S. New Brunswick and Newfoundland in Canada also looked promising.
The show got underway in the Pacific before noon EDT. As the darkness of totality reached the Mexican resort city of Mazatlan, the faces of spectators were illuminated only by the screens of their cellphones.
The cliff-hanging uncertainty added to the drama. But the overcast skies in Mesquite near Dallas didn’t rattle Erin Froneberger, who was in town for business and brought along her eclipse glasses.
“We are always just rushing, rushing, rushing,” she said. “But this is an event that we can just take a moment, a few seconds that it’s going to happen and embrace it.”
A festival outside Austin wrapped up early on Monday because afternoon storms were in the forecast. Festival organizers urged everyone to pack up and leave.
Sara Laneau, of Westfield, Vermont, woke up at 4 a.m. Monday to take her 16-year-old niece to nearby Jay Peak ski resort to catch the eclipse after a morning on the slopes.
“This will be a first from me and an experience of a lifetime,” said Laneau, who was dressed in a purple metallic ski suit with a solar eclipse T-shirt underneath.
At Niagara Falls State Park, tourists streamed in under cloudy skies with wagons, strollers, coolers and lawn chairs. Park officials expected a large crowd at the popular site overlooking the falls.
During Monday’s full eclipse, the moon slipped right in front of the sun, entirely blocking it. The resulting twilight, with only the sun’s outer atmosphere or corona visible, would be long enough for birds and other animals to fall silent, and for planets, stars and maybe even a comet to pop out.
The out-of-sync darkness lasts up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds. That’s almost twice as long as it was during the U.S. coast-to-coast eclipse seven years ago because the moon is closer to Earth. It will be another 21 years before the U.S. sees another total solar eclipse on this scale.
It will take just 1 hour, 40 minutes for the moon’s shadow to race more than 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) across the continent.
Eye protection is needed with proper eclipse glasses and filters to look at the sun, except when it ducks completely out of sight during an eclipse.
The path of totality — approximately 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide — encompasses several major cities this time, including Dallas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; Buffalo, New York; and Montreal. An estimated 44 million people live within the track, with a couple hundred million more within 200 miles (320 kilometers).
“This may be the most viewed astronomical event in history,” said National Air and Space Museum curator Teasel Muir-Harmony, standing outside the museum in Washingon, awaiting a partial eclipse.
Experts from NASA and scores of universities are posted along the route, poised to launch research rockets and weather balloons, and conduct experiments. The International Space Station’s seven astronauts also will be on the lookout, 270 miles (435 kilometers) up.
AP journalists along the eclipse path contributed to this report.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
