Total solar eclipse: where and when was it most visible?

Editor's Note: Follow CNN's live updates for Total solar eclipse.

CNN
—

The total solar eclipse, which swept across Mexico, the United States and Canada, has completed its journey over the North American continent.

The dramatic celestial spectacle was last seen by skygazers along the Atlantic coast in Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 pm local time (3:46 pm ET).

Mazatlan, located on the Pacific coast of Mexico, became the first city to be exposed to the total eclipse earlier Monday. The total eclipse then darkened the skies of Texas, as spectators caught glimpses of the stunning scenery, despite the cloudy weather. Next came cities and towns in the Midwestern United States, with Indianapolis and Cleveland among the places where viewers witnessed the excitement of the celestial event.

Those along the middle line of the path of totality saw an eclipse that lasted between 3.5 and 4 minutes, according to Science Alert. NASA.

In the United States, an estimated 32 million people live within the path of totality, and a total solar eclipse was visible to those in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. and Maine, although the weather threatened to spoil the fun for some.

Only a few isolated clouds are expected to appear in Vermont across Maine, as well as Missouri across southern Indiana, providing a perfect view of the eclipse. However, warnings have been issued for much of Texas and the eastern Great Lakes region The weather is less than ideal. A partial solar eclipse was seen, where the moon appears to take a crescent-shaped “bite” from the sun, visible to those outside the path of the total eclipse.

One Eclipse viewer Richard Canedo, who has been a member of the Planetary Society since 1981, used the overcast skies in Fredericksburg, Texas, To his advantage – he used the overcast conditions as a temporary filter to capture the moment of totality on his handheld camera.

As the fully eclipsed sun peeked through the clouds in Fredericksburg, Texas, a crowd of hundreds gathered noticed more than four minutes of complete darkness and gave loud cheers and cries of, “Oh my God!”

At one point, the stunning, glowing ring that can be seen during a total eclipse revealed what Bill Nye, CEO of the Planetary Society, described as a potential prominence.

“It's magical for everyone,” Nye said of the outdoor theater event in Texas. “I'm so happy to share this with all of you.”

A crowd of thousands also gathered at the only NASA facility that was within the path of totality: NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, NASA Astronaut Steve Bowen, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Josh Dobbs And even Snoopy showed up, all wearing eclipse glasses.

For safe viewing, it was important Get a pair of certified eclipse glasses or a solar viewer To watch the sky. The biggest risk when looking at the sun without the dark filter of eclipse glasses or solar projectors is permanent eye damage known as Solar retinopathy. This condition can improve or worsen over time, but it cannot be cured.

If you notice any symptoms or eye discomfort, make an appointment with your health care provider right away. the American Optometric Association Physician Locator This is one resource that can help, said Ronald Penner, an ophthalmologist and president of the American Optometric Association.

“For most people, this is a change in color vision,” Penner said. “The next morning, the colors don't seem right, or they may be kind of washed out or blurry all the time. For others, they may actually have holes in their vision.”

While the totality is considered the most exciting part of a total solar eclipse, there is more to it Special stages that must be monitored Before the big moment arrives.

Aside from the weeks and months leading up to the eclipse, the longest phase of the event was the partial eclipse, in which the Moon slowly moved over the Sun. This phase lasted 70 to 80 minutes.

But a great sign for viewers was when the sky began to darken and turn an eerie gray color, about 15 to 20 minutes before the total eclipse.

Then several stages occurred in quick succession before the sunlight completely disappeared from sight.

Skygazers have observed droplets of sunlight forming around the Moon, known as Bailey's grains, as sunlight streams over craters and valleys on the Moon's surface. After about 30 seconds to a minute, some of those droplets appeared to fuse together, creating a bright “diamond ring” effect about a minute before it was complete.

During a total eclipse, the luminous glow of the Sun's corona, or hot outer atmosphere, and its faint light are only visible when the Sun's extremely bright surface is obscured.

While totality is the main event, a few points of light have also appeared in the sky near the eclipse, belonging to Jupiter, Venus, Mars and faint light from Saturn.

During the fleeting darkness of totality, some daytime zoo animals were seen preparing for sleep, while nocturnal creatures, such as owls and ring-tailed owls, began to stir, according to researchers based at the Fort Worth Zoo and the Dallas Zoo in Texas. Through citizen projects The public is invited to participate In some research that took place on Monday.

During the few moments of the total eclipse, local temperatures dropped to… 9 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas.

Subscribe to CNN Scientific Wonders Theory Newsletter. Explore the universe with news of fascinating discoveries, scientific advances and more.

It's just waiting for the next celestial spectacle like this in the United States.

Those who live in Alaska will be able to catch a glimpse of a total solar eclipse on March 30, 2033, and a partial solar eclipse will shine over much of the United States during the event.

A total solar eclipse will not be visible again from the contiguous United States until August 22, 2044, but totality will only occur in North Dakota and Montana, as well as northern Canada.

The next total solar eclipse will occur with a coast-to-coast path spanning the lower 48 states on August 12, 2045. The path of totality will lie over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama. and Florida, with a partial eclipse visible in other states.

Don't miss upcoming eclipse and space stories! Follow the topic of astronomy See the latest stories in your personalized feed with your free account.