The Sunday News
The total solar eclipse that swept across Mexico, the United States and Canada has completed its journey over continental North America.
Last to see the dramatic celestial spectacle were sky-gazers located along the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. local time (3:46 p.m. ET).
Mazatlan, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, became the first city to experience totality earlier on Monday. The total eclipse then darkened the skies over Texas, where spectators caught glimpses of stunning views, despite cloudy weather. Next up were the cities and towns in the midwestern US, with Indianapolis and Cleveland among the places viewers experienced the thrill of the celestial event.
Those squarely along the center line of the path of totality saw an eclipse that lasted between 3 ½ and 4 minutes, according to NASA.
In the US, an estimated 32 million people live within the path of totality and a total solar eclipse was visible for those in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, although weather threatened to spoil the fun for some.
Only a few isolated clouds were expected in Vermont through Maine, as well as Missouri through southern Indiana, making for optimal eclipse viewing. However, much of Texas and the eastern Great Lakes were issued warnings for less than ideal weather. A partial solar eclipse, where the moon appears to take a crescent-shaped “bite” out of the sun, was visible for those outside the path of totality.
One eclipse viewer, Richard Canedo, who has been a Planetary Society member since 1981, used the cloudy skies in Fredericksburg, Texas, to his advantage — he used the overcast conditions as a makeshift filter to capture the moment of total eclipse on his handheld camera.
As the fully eclipsed sun peeked through clouds in Fredericksburg, Texas, more than four minutes of total darkness was observed by the crowd of hundreds gathered that let out loud cheers and cries of, “Oh my God!”
At one point, the stunning, blazing ring visible during totality even showed off what Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye called a possible prominence.
“It’s magical everyone,” said Nye from the Texas outdoor stage event. “I am just so happy to be sharing this with you all.”
A crowd of thousands also gathered at the only NASA facility that was within the eclipse’s path of totality: NASA 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 made an appearance, all outfitted in eclipse glasses.
For safe viewing, it was important to grab a pair of certified eclipse glasses or a solar viewer to watch the skies. The biggest risk of looking at the sun without the dark filter of eclipse glasses or solar viewers is permanent eye damage known as solar retinopathy. This condition can improve or worsen over time, but it can’t be treated.
If you notice any symptoms or experience eye discomfort, make an appointment with a health care provider immediately. The American Optometric Association’s doctor locator is one resource that can help, said Ronald Benner, an optometrist and president of the American Optometric Association.
“For most people, it’s an alteration of color vision,” Benner said. “The next morning, colors just don’t look right, or it may be bleached out or just kind of hazy all the time. For others, it may be that they actually have holes in their vision.”
