A total solar eclipse dazzled citizens of the United States, Mexico and Canada on Monday, giving those lucky enough to have experienced clear skies with a somewhat rare celestial show.
People in Mazatlán, Mexico were the first to see the total solar eclipse at 2:07 p.m. ET. It then continued into Texas and along a “path of totality” spanning more than 100 miles across the width of the continent.
In the U.S., the sun was fully obscured by the moon for a few minutes in 15 states from Texas to Maine, but the eclipse was at least partially visible in 49 states. Alaska was the only state where the eclipse wasn't visible.
Follow along below for Yahoo News’s live coverage of Monday’s total solar eclipse. For those unable to view the eclipse in person, you can watch it in real time by clicking here.
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David Knowles
An eclipse to remember
In the United States, the solar eclipse's path of totality began in Eagle Pass, Texas, at 1:27 p.m. local time and ended in Caribou, Maine, at 4:40 p.m. ET.
The total eclipse was seen in 15 U.S. states.
Students across the country — at elementary schools, high schools and universities — observed the eclipse wearing special glasses to protect their eyes.
Some people gathered for mass weddings.
Traffic jams, especially along the path of totality, were a common sight.
The eclipse dominated social media sites as skies darkened.
Commercial airliners and private jets tracked the eclipse as it crossed the sky.
The next total eclipse in the U.S. will take place in Alaska on March 30, 2033, while the next to occur in the Lower 48 will not happen until Aug. 22, 2044.
David Artavia
Delta meteorologist describes what it was like on the eclipse flight: 'It got very dark'
After a Delta flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit during the eclipse, passengers shared their enthusiasm about the unusual journey.
The airline's resident meteorologist, Warren Weston, was on the flight and said that while there were concerns about a thunderstorm in Dallas this afternoon, the experienced pilots delivered a remarkable experience.
Warren Weston, Manager of Meteorology at Delta, speaks about planning that went into today’s path-of-totality flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit and the experience onboard during the eclipse #Eclipse2024 pic.twitter.com/LC6Cwxej9H
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) April 8, 2024
"I thought it was great," Weston said in a video shared on X by journalist Brendan Gutenschwager. "You can tell it got very dark. I looked out of the window and I could see the shadow out on the ground. You could see it on the horizon kind of diminishing as you went further out, so it was obvious that we were right in the totality. I thought that was pretty cool."
Weston said he and his team planned 24 to 36 hours in advance to be sure the route was perfect.
"We looked at a lot of data to be able to tell where we were going to enter the eclipse, that we were going to have good viewing, good visibility," he explained. "The first part of our flight, we were kind of in the clouds over Texas and part of Arkansas, then they opened up."
"It worked out pretty well," Weston said.
David Artavia
College students across the country took a break from class to gaze at the sky
University students, faculty and fellow onlookers gathered at campuses across the United States to watch Monday's solar eclipse. It may have lasted only a few minutes, but based on the numerous posts shared on X, the memories they gained will last a lifetime.
🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌓🌔 #SolarEclipse #stl #umsl #Solar pic.twitter.com/ZlWE1cUIvI
— University of Missouri–St. Louis (@umsl) April 8, 2024
What a special moment on Dobson Field today. Thank you to everyone who came to experience the total solar eclipse with us! #Eclipse2024 pic.twitter.com/Mz4AdHoyv0
— D'Youville University (@DYouville) April 8, 2024
Glasses?
Check.Our community coming together to watch the #SolarEclipse on campus? Check.
We hope all our Eagles got a great view of the sight! pic.twitter.com/y95Ff0grAW
— Post University (@PostUniversity) April 8, 2024
This afternoon, Northern Illinois University held a viewing party to watch the solar eclipse. It was cool to see how the moon covered more than 90% of the sun! I had a blast hanging out with my friends and seeing the eclipse. pic.twitter.com/wZzoX2ekaM
— FarzanaSharmin (@Farzana67614014) April 8, 2024
David Artavia
A time-lapse video of the eclipse captures day-to-night effect
Missed the Total Solar Eclipse on @Baylor's campus today? Check out this quick time-lapse of the sky changing from 🌞 to 🌑! pic.twitter.com/SkTHB2n3mp
— Baylor University College of Arts & Sciences (@Baylor_AandS) April 8, 2024
As students and faculty gathered at Baylor University’s Fountain Mall in Waco, Texas, a very wise techie decided to set up their phone on the roof of a building and capture a time-lapse video of the eclipse.
In the video, you see the sky go from bright to dark as the moon travels past the sun.
The university later shared photos of onlookers gazing at the sky on its official X account: "No matter how you prepare — a total solar eclipse is truly, in every sense of the word, awesome," the post read.
Caitlin Dickson
Darkness falls over Sylvan Beach, N.Y.
Yahoo News' Colin Campbell documented the scene during the eclipse in Sylvan Beach, N.Y. Slide the bar on the photo below to see how dark the sky became.
Neia Balao
Elementary schools host eclipse viewing parties
Elementary schools across the United States hosted solar eclipse viewing parties. Schools that weren't on the path of totality livestreamed the event with eclipse-themed snacks.
What a great experience our students had today 🌒 #EclipseSolar2024 pic.twitter.com/qDGHX5yhkF
— Sue Crouch Elementary (@SueCrouchElem) April 8, 2024
Solar Eclipse Watch Party @AppleGroveES☀️🕶️🌚 pic.twitter.com/7uUGrcDm47
— Apple Grove Elementary School (@AppleGroveES) April 8, 2024
Students, teachers and even parents at Ida B. Middle School and Whittier Elementary School in D.C. gathered outside to view the solar eclipse. @IdaBWellsMS, @dcpublicschools pic.twitter.com/fWhy3lRPIT
— Deborah Berry (@dberrygannett) April 8, 2024
Our students' faces lit up brighter than the sun during today's solar eclipse! #OneFortworth 🌟☀️🌒 pic.twitter.com/9IZwmH9CV2
— Morningside Elementary School (@MorningsideFW) April 8, 2024
Students enjoyed watching the eclipse today through live stream while enjoying themed snacks.☀️ pic.twitter.com/hegcV3IVsp
— Hutchens Elementary School (@HalHutchensES) April 8, 2024
Dylan Stableford
Here's how dark the sky got above Niagara Falls during the eclipse
In Niagara Falls, N.Y., a popular eclipse viewing destination, photographer Scott Gable captured images of the sky above the falls showing just how dark it got during the eclipse. Slide the bar over the photo below to see how the sky changed.
Neia Balao
'Underwhelming and anti-climactic': Social media users voice disappointment over clouds obscuring eclipse
Unfortunately, due to cloud cover, not everyone had a clear view of Monday's solar eclipse. Some people used social media to express their dissatisfaction with their viewing experiences.
Went for a drive in hopes of finding a break in the clouds to alleviate the disappointment of the youngest.
We lucked out! Managed to see the eclipse peek through when it was still at about 35-40%.
Now she's disappointed because it was entirely underwhelming and anti-climactic.
— Ally Bryant (@Eh_Bee_Sea) April 8, 2024
A little disappointed today. There was so much cloud cover in the Nashville area, the only eclipse I saw was a Mitsubishi convertible that passed me on i-24!
— Steve Johnson 💎 (@Grizzly_Stevens) April 8, 2024
so disappointed it was too cloudy to see the eclipse, especially since i was in the path of totality, but it was pretty cool to see it get really dark!! pic.twitter.com/xw74PKxi8l
— 🐞ladykatie🐞 (@lady__katie__) April 8, 2024
Crowd joke-cheering as the #eclipse peaks… behind the clouds :( #Philly #CityHall #disappointed pic.twitter.com/PImWTtOPHh
— Pat Loeb (@PatLoeb) April 8, 2024
Kate Murphy
Did the eclipse damage your eyes? Here are the telltale signs.
NASA and medical experts urged people to wear proper eclipse glasses or a "safe handheld solar viewer" while viewing the solar eclipse. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, looking at the sun during the eclipse could burn a person's retina and lead to serious vision complications.
The Miami Herald reports:
If your eyes hurt after the eclipse, how do you know if it’s a sign of something more serious? The eclipse may cause discomfort — but likely won’t since the retina doesn’t have pain nerves.
Instead, symptoms you may want to watch out for include blurred vision, headache, sensitivity, distortion, discolored vision or a blind spot. Experts say those symptoms could start appearing within about four hours.
“Many people recover after three to six months, but some will suffer permanent vision loss in the form of a small blind spot and distortion,” the American Academy of Ophthalmology wrote on its website in 2023.
Instead of having a black spot in their vision, a person might not see their facial features clearly in a mirror or might see a newspaper without words on it, Space.com reported in 2017.
Read more from the Miami Herald.
Chanelle Chandler
'Once in a lifetime' group wedding ceremonies held during eclipse
Couples in Trenton, Ohio, and Russellville, Ark., got married Monday against the celestial backdrop of a solar eclipse.
Participants in Ohio were told to bring their eclipse glasses and marriage licenses to the "once in a lifetime wedding." The town's mayor officiated the mass wedding ceremony at Trenton Community Park, about 240 miles from Cleveland. After the ceremony, the newlyweds received a souvenir and a Bundt cake. The next eclipse in Ohio won't happen until 2099.
More than 200 couples in the Arkansas "Elope at the Eclipse" ceremony exchanged vows just before the eclipse reached totality at 1:50 p.m. CT. The ceremony was free and newlyweds were reimbursed their $60 marriage license fee, according to The Hill. The mass wedding capped the weekend's Total Eclipse of the Heart festival.
Dylan Stableford
When will the next total solar eclipse occur in the U.S.?
Unless you live or plan to be in Alaska, you're going to have to wait a little while to see another total solar eclipse in the United States.
After Alaska's total solar eclipse on March 30, 2033, the next one visible in the U.S. is not due to occur until Aug. 22, 2044, in North Dakota and Montana. And the next total solar eclipse to be visible across the U.S. won't happen until Aug. 12, 2045, with the path of totality stretching across 10 states, from California to Florida.
Kate Murphy
Moon throws deep shade and blocks the sun on NASA's social media
NASA had some fun on the X account for the moon on Monday, throwing figurative and literal shade at the Earth's sun by blocking its social media page during the total solar eclipse.
Oops I did it again 🤭 #TotalSolarEclipse pic.twitter.com/JXPe26qq3Q
— NASA Moon (@NASAMoon) April 8, 2024
Dylan Stableford
Here's how dark the sky got in Arkansas during the eclipse
In Greers Ferry, Ark., just north of Little Rock, photographer Brad Vest captured images for Yahoo News of the sky above Greers Ferry Dam along the Little Red River. The lights on the dam came on briefly during totality.
Neia Balao
Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' reaches No. 1 on iTunes during the eclipse
On Monday, Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" reached No.1 on the U.S. iTunes charts as a total solar eclipse crossed much of the nation.
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler hits #1 on US iTunes during the solar eclipse. pic.twitter.com/CNHLwvcU7Z
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 8, 2024
The single was first released in 1983 and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Dylan Stableford
Eclipse ends in the U.S.
The total solar eclipse has ended in the United States, with the moon completely passing by the sun in Caribou, Maine, at 4:40 p.m. ET.
Chanelle Chandler
What the eclipse looked like in Choctaw Nation
Dawn Standridge, Jason Wakinyancikala and Christa Ogden celebrated the total solar eclipse at Wheelock Academy in Millerton, Okla.
The festivities honor a Choctaw Nation tradition in which Choctaws scare away a mischievous black squirrel who is attempting to eat the sun during a total solar eclipse.
Dylan Stableford
Here's how dark the sky got along the U.S.-Mexico border during the eclipse
In Piedras Negras, Mexico, photographer Sergio Flores captured these images for Yahoo News looking toward Eagle Pass, Texas, showing just how dark the sky turned there during Monday's total solar eclipse.
Dylan Stableford
What it looked like on the sky deck of NYC's Hudson Yards during the eclipse
New York City was not in the path of totality for Monday's total solar eclipse, but that did not stop New Yorkers from stopping to look. One popular spot for viewing was the observation deck atop Midtown Manhattan's Hudson Yards, where several hundred people gathered to experience the partial eclipse 100 stories up.
Kate Murphy
Eclipse viewers gather in New York City's Central Park
Eclipse viewers gathered in Central Park in New York City on Monday even though the city is outside the path of totality.
Chanelle Chandler
How to view the eclipse safely
Except during the brief period of totality, it is never safe to look directly at an eclipse without specialized eye protection. Looking at the intense light from the sun even for just a few seconds can cause permanent damage to the retina, the part of the eye directly responsible for vision.
"You can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the moon completely obscures the sun’s bright face, during the brief and spectacular period known as totality," NASA explains. "You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer."
See these safety guidelines for viewing solar eclipses.
When in doubt, just remember: Never look directly at the sun.
Read more: Here's what happens if you look at the eclipse — and how to see it safely
