Total solar eclipse 2024 highlights: Rare phenomenon darkens North America’s skies

A total eclipse of the Sun plunged a stretch of North America into darkness on Monday, with millions of spectators across the US, Mexico and Canada hoping to catch a glimpse of the rare event.

It was North America’s biggest eclipse crowd ever, with the path of totality crossing directly over 44 million people.

More were drawn in from across the world thanks to the lure of clear skies and up to four and a half minutes of midday darkness in some places.

Almost everyone in North America was guaranteed at least a partial eclipse, weather permitting.

The best weather was seen in Mexico and at the tail end of the eclipse in Vermont and Maine, as well as New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

“Cloud cover is one of the trickier things to forecast,” National Weather Service meteorologist Alexa Maines explained at Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Centre on Sunday. “At the very least, it won’t snow.”

Key Points

• Everything you need to know about the eclipse

• What’s so good about an eclipse?

• Total solar eclipse in pictures

• How the solar eclipse looks from space

Hello and welcome

Monday 8 April 2024 09:25 , Andrew Griffin

... to The Independent’s live coverage of the 2024 ‘Great North American Eclipse’.

‘Eclipse Express’ delayed

Monday 8 April 2024 09:40 , Simon Calder

Overrunning engineering work led to a 70-minute delay in Sunday evening’s “Eclipse Express”: British Airways flight 95 from London Heathrow to Montreal. It was the final departure from the UK that would enable eclipse chasers to reach the only big city on the path of totality in time for the 3.27pm (local time) appointment with the cosmos. Like earlier flights from London to Montreal on Air Transat and Air Canada, the BA Boeing 787 was completely full. A significant number of eclipse hunters booked for the Canadian city at the last minute when it became clear much of the US would be blanketed by cloud.

Of all the BA destinations in North America, the Canadian city is the only one within the zone of totality for today’s astronomical event.

The inflight manager joked to anxious passengers: “The captain tells me he will fly it like he’s stolen it to try to make up time.”

One member of British Airways cabin crew, whose birthday is today, requested to work on the Montreal flight in the hope she would be able to witness the eclipse.

‘It's just bigger than all of us’ – eclipse chaser explains the appeal

Monday 8 April 2024 09:41 , Simon Calder

Some eclipse chasers waited until almost the last minute before choosing their destination. Mike, a software developer from Dresden in Germany, booked a short-notice flight from Berlin via London Heathrow to Montreal.

He had actually booked to travel to the US for the eclipse months ago, but was unable to depart as scheduled because of illness.

“After recovery I decided to still go there,” he told The Independent. “But by then it was so late that I decided to wait even longer until the weather forecast was very clear. That’s why I booked my flights on Friday.

“I didn’t get any accommodation. I did manage to rent a car and so all options are on the table. I’ve a sleeping bag with me and that’s pretty much all I need.”

Mike had originally planned to be in the Midwest, and considered Texas when making his second booking. “Texas generally often has clear skies, but right now it doesn’t,” he said. “So I decided to go to Montréal because it has the best forecast.”

The German traveller explained the appeal of the eclipse: “It is the fact that we cannot influence it, it’s just bigger than all of us. So many things that I do marvel at are man-made. So many problems are man-made. But this is not and this is what I want to see.

“My colleagues don’t really understand, but they are sympathetic with me and just smile about it”He said his aim during the eclipse is to commune with the cosmos. “I would very much prefer to be on my own, but if 1,000 other people are there it’s still better than nothing.”

What’s so good about seeing an eclipse?

Monday 8 April 2024 09:42 , Andrew Griffin

Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent of The Independent, has viewed total solar eclipses in India and Wyoming USA, as well as the 1999 European event which was obscured by cloud in his chosen location, Dieppe in France.

“In the days leading up to the eclipse, locations in the path of totality acquire a carnival atmosphere as astronomical tourists converge in excited anticipation.

“On the day, the cosmological performance begins with a warm-up lasting more than an hour, during which the moon steadily nibbles away at the surface of the sun.

Suddenly, you experience totality. The stars and planets appear in the middle of the day. The air chills.

“To testify to the heavenly fit between our two most familiar heavenly bodies, faint diamonds known as Baily’s beads peek out from behind the moon. They actually comprise light from the sun slipping through lunar valleys.”

“A sight to behold – so long as you can see the moon blotting out the sun and appreciate the mathematical perfection of nature in our corner of the galaxy.”

Will I be able to see a partial eclipse from the UK?

Monday 8 April 2024 09:42 , Simon Calder

Yes. The eclipse ends with the sunset in the eastern Atlantic, about 600 miles off the coast of Cornwall, before it reaches the UK and Ireland. But on the island of Ireland and western parts of Great Britain, a partial eclipse may be visible with the sun low in the sky.

If skies are clear and you have an open view to the west, it will start at around 7.55pm in Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

BBC Weather presenter Simon King said: “With the partial solar eclipse occurring late in the day UK time, the Sun will be low to the horizon and will actually set before the spectacle is over.”

Hotel rates soar as millions seek to experience the eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 09:43 , Simon Calder

Accommodation rates have more than trebled in some locations within the “zone of totality”. Data provided to The Independent by the hotel industry analyst Lighthouse shows sharp rises for the night of 7-8 April.In Little Rock, Arkansas, room prices for 7 April were 223 per cent higher than on the same day last year, with the average rate rising from $116 to $374.

Rates in San Antonio in Texas and Indianapolis were over 150 per cent higher, while those in Austin, Dallas and Cleveland, Ohio, have more than doubled.

In Montreal, though, hotel rates are actually 6 per cent down on a year ago, as the city was never considered a serious contender by eclipse chasers.

Transatlantic airline passengers might get glimpse of eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 09:43 , Andrew Griffin

Some lucky passengers on scheduled flights from the UK to the US and Canada may get a glimpse of the eclipse as they fly through the zone of totality.

Passengers on middle-of-the-day departures to Boston, New York and Toronto have some chance of flying beneath the eclipse, though it will be only for a matter of seconds: the closing speed of westbound jet aircraft and the eastbound eclipse will be around 2,000mph.

But because so much can change with wind conditions and timings, no airlines are publicising “eclipse-chasing” flights.

Trump posts bizarre solar eclipse ad – with his head blocking out the sun, plunging US into darkness

Monday 8 April 2024 09:46 , Andrew Griffin

It really has to be seen to be believed. After staring straight into the eclipse last time, Donald Trump has posted a new ad in which he himself is blocking out the Sun.

Trump posts bizarre solar eclipse ad – with his head plunging US into darkness

What time is the solar eclipse?

Monday 8 April 2024 09:52 , Andrew Griffin

The eclipse will move from the centre of the US up to the north east corner. So the timing will be a little different – not only because the path of totality moves across the country, but also because of timezones.

Here you can find information from Nasa about the timing.

Solar Eclipse 2024: Nasa map shows path of totality

Everything you need to know about the eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 09:54 , Andrew Griffin

The eclipse is an opportunity to share in the “wonder of the universe without going very far”, Nasa has said. (Though plenty of people, as below, are travelling for it.)

Here’s some information about what form exactly that wonder will take.

Everything you need to know about the coming solar eclipse

Clouds could block the view in every metro area, forecasts warn

Monday 8 April 2024 10:15 , Andrew Griffin

The weather might not let the eclipse take all the attention. Forecasts warn that every major metro area could have skies covered in clouds, which might ruin the view somewhat.

Solar eclipse 2024: Clouds could block view in every metro area

Even if the sun itself is covered, however, you should get some of the feeling as the skies go dark and everything becomes briefly a little colder.

Where and when will the eclipse be visible?

Monday 8 April 2024 11:26 , Andrew Griffin

According to NASA, the April 8 eclipse will begin over the South Pacific, with its path reaching Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 a.m. Pacific Time before entering the United States in Texas.

Its path then takes it through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, a tiny piece of Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, a tiny piece of Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The path then enters Canada in Ontario and journeys through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, exiting continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. Newfoundland Time. A partial eclipse is due to be visible for people in all 48 contiguous U.S. states.

What will you see during an eclipse?

Monday 8 April 2024 11:26 , Andrew Griffin

A total solar eclipse unfolds in several distinct stages.

It starts with a partial eclipse phase as the moon begins to pass between Earth and the sun, partially blocking it and leaving the sun looking like it has a crescent shape.

In the subsequent Baily’s Beads phase, points of light from the sun shine around the moon’s edges because of the irregular lunar topography, producing small beads of light.

In the diamond ring phase, a single bright spot appears along the lunar edge even as the sun’s atmosphere leaves a ring of light around the moon. The effect resembles the appearance of a diamond ring. This phenomenon precedes totality.

After totality, the other phases repeat as the moon keeps moving along its path until the eclipse ends.

When will the next eclipses arrive?

Monday 8 April 2024 11:27 , Andrew Griffin

People in various parts of the world will get to experience more eclipses in the coming months and years, according to NASA.

An annular solar eclipse will occur on Oct. 2 of this year, visible in South America, with a partial eclipse visible in South America, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and North America.

A partial solar eclipse will occur on March 29, 2025, visible in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean.

A partial solar eclipse will occur on Sept. 21, 2025, visible in Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

An annular solar eclipse will occur on Feb. 17, 2026, visible in Antarctica, with a partial eclipse visible in Antarctica, Africa, South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

The next total solar eclipse will occur on Aug. 12, 2026, visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small portion of Portugal, with a partial eclipse visible in Europe, Africa, North America, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

How do you safely watch an eclipse?

Monday 8 April 2024 11:36 , Andrew Griffin

Experts warn that it is unsafe to look directly at the bright sun without using specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. Viewing an eclipse through a camera lens, binoculars or telescope without making use of a special-purpose solar filter can cause severe eye injury, according to these experts.

They advise using safe solar viewing glasses or a safe handheld solar viewer, noting that regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the sun. The only moment it is considered safe for people to remove eye protection during a total solar eclipse is the brief time when the moon completely blocks the sun’s surface.

Royal Institution jokes about eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 12:43 , Andrew Griffin

The Royal Institution – the centuries old organisation that has fostered some of the greatest scientific minds in history – has a joke for you:

Snow lying in Montreal ahead of eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 13:49 , Simon Calder

Montreal is the only big city on the path of totality with near-certain clear skies. The Canadian government is predicting unbroken sunshine until at least 6pm, local time, with the eclipse passing over for 90 seconds at 3.27pm. The temperature is expected to reach 16C. The weather is unusual for early April. Montreal experiences extreme cold, and is only slowly emerging from winter.

Snow is piled high on some city streets, and weather records for the corresponding date in earlier years showing a high of –2C in 1977 and, the following year, three inches of snow.

Total solar eclipse, as interpreted using only breakfast items

Monday 8 April 2024 13:51 , Simon Calder

Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, arrived in Montreal late last night after buying the last economy class seat on the “Eclipse express”: British Airways flight 95, which arrived in the Canadian city at 9.05pm, local time.

Over breakfast at Eggspectation, a restaurant in downtown Montreal, he performs an exclusive interpretive prediction of the scenes later in the day – using only the Quebecois speciality, poutine.

‘All or nothing’ says UK eclipse guru

Monday 8 April 2024 14:29 , Simon Calder

Dr John Mason, who has led astronomical tours to view total solar eclipses for three decades, says:  “You can’t observe all the wonders of totality unless you’ve got 100 per cent.

“Even when the sun is 99 per cent eclipsed, that 1 per cent is incredibly bright and gives out a lot of light.He was speaking on The Independent’s daily travel podcast ahead of the event.

When deciding where to lead his eclipse disciples, Dr Mason studies decades of weather records to maximise the chances of clear skies. But, he warns: “The statistics for the weather are only a guide.

“On the day, it could be totally different. You could find that there could be a cloudy day in Texas, and it could be clear up in the Northeast, in Maine. It’s only a guide.”

The location Dr Mason believes may attract the most viewers: Niagara Fall, on the US-Canada border.

“I could imagine huge numbers of people making their way to Niagara Falls because it’s got its cachet of an amazing view and and the total eclipse as well.”

For anyone who misses the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse, the next will be on 12 August 2026, with northern Spain and the Balearic islands in the zone of totality.

Solar eclipse 2024 live: Map shows path of totality across North America

Monday 8 April 2024 15:24 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Roughly 44 million people live under the path of totality, with hundreds of millions more getting a chance to see a partial solar eclipse today.

We have a map showing the full path of the total solar eclipse, which crosses over some major metropolitan areas in its journey from the west coast of Mexico to the east coast of Canada.

Major cities beneath the path of totality include Durango, Austin, Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Toronto and Montreal.

You can read more about the eclipse’s path here.

Solar eclipse 2024 live: Map of Airbnb bookings copy path of totality

Monday 8 April 2024 15:49 , Anthony Cuthbertson

You don’t need Nasa to tell you where in the US is going to get a total eclipse - you can just look at bookings on Airbnb.

Data gathered by AirDNA shows a massive spike in short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb on 7 April and 9 April, as tourists hopeful of getting the best view of the solar eclipse flocking to the path of totality.

We’ll have an update of the latest weather forecast soon, but it looks like many of those making the bookings will be disappointed.

Solar eclipse 2024 live: Where to watch in the UK

Monday 8 April 2024 15:54 , Anthony Cuthbertson

A reminder that it is not only in North America that the solar eclipse will be visible. Partial obscuration of the Sun will take place as far away as the UK and Ireland - thousands of kilometres away from the path of totality.

There will be a brief moment to witness it before sunset at around 8pm, with the partial solar eclipse crossing over the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the west of England.

The best place to see it in the British Isles will be the west coast of Ireland. More than a third of the Sun will be covered in Galway, while Cork and Limerick will see around 20 per cent obscuration.

In England, just a tiny slice of less than one per cent of the Sun will be covered by the Moon in Liverpool and Manchester.

You can find out more about how to see the solar eclipse in the UK here.

Solar eclipse 2024 live: Weather forecast for path of totality

Monday 8 April 2024 16:04 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The UK Met Office has helpfully provided a graphic showing the weather forecast for the path of totality in the US for today’s solar eclipse.

There is heavy rain across much of the southern US, with both Austin and Nashville potentially facing at least partial cloud cover. Luckily, most other spots look like they will get clear skies.

“For many along the optimal path with weather will allow a good view,” the Met Office says.

Unfortunately for those in the UK and Ireland, the weather forecast is not looking so favourable.

Solar eclipse 2024 live: ‘A few minutes of cosmic perspective'

Monday 8 April 2024 16:21 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’ve heard from astrophysicist Jonathan Blazek from Northeastern University in the US, who says that even those not directly beneath the path of totality will have the opportunity to gain a few minutes of “cosmic perspective” during Monday’s eclipse.

Professor Blazek tells The Independent that he is organising a viewing event on Northeastern’s Boston campus, which will see about 93 per cent totality.

Professor Jonathan Blazek, Northeastern University

Solar eclipse 2024 live: How to watch - and how not to watch

Monday 8 April 2024 16:55 , Anthony Cuthbertson

It’s always worth remembering that eye safety is very important when it comes to looking at the Sun, even when the Moon is partially in the way. If not, the Sun’s rays can permanently damage your eyesight.

This is something former US president Donald Trump seemed to forget during the last solar eclipse over the US in 2017. The reality TV star stared directly at the Sun with no protection over his eyes.

Not one to miss an opportunity for a shot at his rival, President Joe Biden shared a video on Instagram and X showing him in the same spot Trump stood seven years ago.

“An eclipse is worth marveling at,” he wrote. “But don’t be silly, folks – play it safe and wear protective eyewear.”

Solar eclipse 2024 live: ‘Montreal is going crazy'

Monday 8 April 2024 17:05 , Simon Calder

As excitement builds in Montreal – the only big city in the zone of totality with clear skies – Montreal City News reporter Swidda Rassy has been speaking to The Independent.

“The city is going crazy for this total solar eclipse,” she says. “It’s been on the news for so long. The government and just everybody is pushing to get those safe solar eclipse glasses.”

Tourism is up in Montreal. The Montreal hotel occupancy rate is around 70 to 75 per cent. And that is way above the normal rate for April.

“There’s just so many people that I’ve spoke with from America, mostly from Connecticut, London and people are coming from around the world just to check out the solar eclipse,” Ms Rassy adds.

“The weather is beautiful. I think that’s one of the main reasons why a lot of people are here. It’s supposed to be clear, sunny skies. So, yeah, a lot of people are excited.”

Ms Rassy sympathised with eclipse chasers who have headed for Niagara Falls, 400 miles southwest, where cloud cover is expected.

“I know it’s such a disappointment because I did hear that Niagara Falls is supposed to be one of the best destinations,” she says.

“Sorry, to people who are going to go to Niagara Falls. But here in Montreal, the weather is great, and it feels like an underrated spot. This solar eclipse – it’s a nice one for the history books, for sure.”

Solar eclipse 2024 live: See the planets during the day

Monday 8 April 2024 17:13 , Anthony Cuthbertson

When the Moon moves in front of the Sun and the sky darkens, celestial features that you can normally only see at night will briefly be visible.

Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Venus will all be nearby the Moon and the Sun, with Venus being particularly easy to spot.

View from Vermont: Jeffersonville overflowing with eclipse chasers – and syrup

Monday 8 April 2024 17:20 , Amber Jamieson

The Lodge at Wyckoff Maple – just outside Jeffersonville, Vermont – was fully booked for the eclipse. Owner Tom Wyckoff hadn’t known the eclipse was coming until about a month ago, he’d assumed the rush in bookings had been for a local wedding.

He had just charged the regular rate – he’d been horrified to hear of other Airbnb hosts later that had cancelled bookings and upped prices four times higher once they realised they could make a lot of eclipse guests. Him and wife Karen put on a special pancakes and maple syrup eclipse morning breakfast for guests.

His son Jordan Wyckoff dipped his pancake directly into the fresh maple syrup coming from the Wyckoff Family Maple sugar house – it was the very end of the sugaring season, the last batch of syrup they were expecting to boil.

Jordan said his wife saw on the news that the weather was cloudier down south – “so everyone is driving up here”.

Last week there had been a late huge dump of snow, the local ski resort Smuggler’s Notch seeing snowboarder and skiers taking advantage of the fresh powder.

On Monday morning, it was blue sky sunshine and the snow was melting. Jordan said he was going to watch the eclipse from the porch with his kids – everyone was hoping the blue skies lasted until the afternoon. “We say around here, if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes.”

How the solar eclipse will impact the weather

Monday 8 April 2024 17:45 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The folks over at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have shared an animation that shows just how much today’s solar eclipse will impact the heating of the Earth.

Incoming solar radiation will drop from above 700 watts per metre-squared to nearly zero when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun.

“Scientists at NOAA GSL are calculating how much the moon will block incoming solar radiation, which impacts heating of the Earth and therefore the weather,” the US governemnt agency wrote in a post to X.

What time the solar eclipse begins

Monday 8 April 2024 18:02 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’re about 90 minutes away from the total eclipse beginning in the US.

If you want to know the exact time that it starts where you are, here’s a handy map shared by Accuweather.

Watch the solar eclipse live through Nasa telescopes

Monday 8 April 2024 18:12 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’ve got live footage from Nasa telescopes stationed across North America. The feed cycles through different setups in the US and Mexico, but you can see the solar eclipse already beginning in Mexico, where the Moon is moving slowly in front of the Sun.

You can watch it here:

View from Montreal: Colander sighting and eclipse glasses clamour as crowds build

Monday 8 April 2024 18:15 , Simon Calder

The first colander has been spotted in Old Montreal as crowds gather by the waterside for the total solar eclipse.

It belongs to Sam, a computer science student who has driven up from the Canadian capital, Ottawa, to join the party.“When the partial eclipse is happening, the normal circles of light in the shadow of the colander turn into slits,” he explained.

A confirmed sighting of the first Dark Side of the Moon T-shirt featuring the iconic Pink Floyd logo has also been made.

Vendors of eclipse glasses are desperately trying to offload stocks before the city starts dispensing them free of charge to protect damage to spectators’ eyes. The initial price of C$5 (£3) is tumbling.

View from Vermont: Photographer ‘stressed’ ahead of dream eclipse shot

Monday 8 April 2024 18:27 , Amber Jamieson

This total eclipse is photographer Mike Miller’s first chance to get his own version of photos he’s only dreamed of.

“I’m super excited about this,” said Miller, an associate professor of philosophy at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland.

He compared his preparation for the eclipse like his wife getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner: weeks of prep and planning for just a few short hours.

He’d come up last night to stay with his sons in Burlington, Vermont. Originally he’d planned to head to Ohio — but weather conditions weren’t looking good. But clouds were expected in Burlington, so they’d left the city and driven up the mountains to the tiny town of Johnson, Vermont. They set up next to other photographers overlooking a sports field, their neighbors had a telescope — his sons playing cards on a picnic blanket while Miller anxiously fiddled with his camera.

“I’m stressed,” he said. “I’ll be firing away.”

He’d made a removable paper filter to put on top of his camera for the partial eclipse — during the total eclipse you remove the filter entirely and just shoot normally, otherwise nothing would be visible.

Miller had several shots he was keen to capture. The corona — the classic total eclipse shot, where you see the rays coming off the sun.

“It’s the biggest picture,” said Miller. “In that eclipse moment you can see the wispy white coming off. It’s a beautiful picture, I’d love to get my own copy of that.”

The second money shot is Baily’s beads — the moment when the moon is eclipsing. “You can see the actual mountains and valleys of the moon… it’s really remarkable,” he said. It only happens for 5-6 seconds just before and after totality.

And his third dream photo is the diamond ring, a starburst of light on one side of the moon.

“It’s a cool effect,” he said.

Since it’s Miller’s first total eclipse he’s trying to remember what other photographers have advised him most of all.

“You can take the pictures but at some point you just have to stop and enjoy,” he said. “I’m already in a zen moment where if it fails with the cameras, at least I’ll have the experience.”

Follow the path of totality of the solar eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 18:46 , Anthony Cuthbertson

As the Moon continues to move in front of the Sun over Mexico, here’s a reminder of the path of totality for today’s solar eclipse.

We’re around 20 minutes away from the first total solar eclipse over land, which will last several minutes.

The longest period of total eclipse will be on the US-Mexico border, where it will last for 4 minutes and 27 seconds. By the time it reaches Canada, the period of totality will be less than three and a half minutes.

What happens to animals and insects during a solar eclipse?

Monday 8 April 2024 18:55 , Anthony Cuthbertson

With around 10 minutes to go until the total eclipse begins, spare a thought for the animals and insects who have no idea why the skies are suddenly turning dark in the middle of the day.

A 2017 study of animal behaviour during a daytime blackout at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina discovered that it would be wise to stay away from the giraffe enclosure. At the peak of the eclipse, the Riverbanks tower started “running around like crazy and in a potentially dangerous way”, according to lead researcher Professor Adam Hartstone-Rose. “In the wild, giraffes are pretty calm animals. They really don’t do crazy behaviour unless they need to.”

During that same eclipse, it was also reported that bumblebees stopped buzzing across several US states.

You can read the full story here.

Some solar eclipse glasses have been recalled. Here's what to know

Monday 8 April 2024 19:04 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Anyone who wants to stare directly at the Sun during the solar eclipse must wear protective glasses, or else risk permanently damaging their eyesight.

Unfortunately, even these safety measures are no guarantee that your eyes will be protected.

One retailer has reportedly issued an email to customers warning them that their glasses are not safe for viewing the eclipse.

“Dear Amazon Customer, We write to notify you of a potential safety concern with a product that you purchased on Amazon.com,” the email reportedly warned, according to WHEC in Rochester, New York.

“Affected Product: Biniki Solar Eclipse Glasses AAS Approved 2024 – CE & ISO Certified Safe Shades for Direct Sun Viewing (6 Packs). The product listed above was not included in the American Astronomical Society’s list of safe suppliers of solar eclipse viewers and filters and therefore may not be safe for viewing a solar eclipse.”

Total eclipse reaches Mazatlan, Mexico

Monday 8 April 2024 19:11 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The total eclipse is here!

Here’s the moment the Moon passed directly in front of the Sun over Mazatlan, Mexico.

Nasa shares video of 2024 total solar eclipse over Mazatlán, Mexico

Monday 8 April 2024 19:15 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Even though you know exactly what’s going to happen, and how it will look, it is still a remarkable sight.

What are the odds that the Sun is 400 times further away than the Moon, while also being 400 times bigger? It’s a phenomenal coincidence that gives us such a phenomenal spectacle.

Nasa has shared the clip of the first sighting of the 2024 total solar eclipse over Mazatlán, Mexico

Total solar eclipse passes over Torreón, Mexico

Monday 8 April 2024 19:22 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Torreón is now under the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse.

Here’s how it looks from one of Nasa’s telescopes on the ground:

Total solar eclipse reaches the US

Monday 8 April 2024 19:30 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The path of totality takes us now along to Eagle Pass, Texas, where people in the US will be able to see the total solar eclipse for the first time.

There’s a fair bit of cloud cover over the southern states, though some lucky viewers are getting a glimpse.

Total solar eclipse appears behind clouds

Monday 8 April 2024 19:37 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Despite the cloud coverage in Texas, people on the ground are still getting a chance to see the total solar eclipse as it passes over head.

It’s not as clear as the earlier shots from Mexico, but it’s still an impressive sight. Here’s how it looks from Kerrville, Texas:

Crowds gather to view eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 19:54 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Viewing conditions were close to perfect in large parts of Mexico as the total solar eclipse passed over.

Cloud coverage in Texas didn’t fully stop people from witnessing the celestial spectacle.

Further north in the US, people travelled from all over the country - and the world - to enjoy unobstructed views.

Where is the total solar eclipse now?

Monday 8 April 2024 19:59 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The eclipse has reached Arkansas on its path of totality.

Here’s how it currently looks from Russellville:

Next stop Tennessee, then Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermonth, New Hampshire and Maine, before it crosses over the border to Canada.

Speaking of Canada...

View from Canada: Crowds converge in Montreal for ‘eclipse of the century’

Monday 8 April 2024 20:04 , Simon Calder

Scenes at the hub of the Montreal Metro system, UQAM-Berri, are unprecedented. The city’s underground lines converge on the station – which has a link to Parc Jean Drapeau, on an island in the St Lawrence River. This is where the main eclipse party is taking place, and hundreds of thousands of people are trying to get there.

Despite crowds funnelling in to a narrow corridor leading down the the platform, the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed – with police and Metro officials wishing passengers a good day.In the park itself, a special arena has been created for the “eclipse of the century”.

With 90 minutes before the brief 90 seconds of totality, the crowd is estimated at 200,000.

View from Vermont: Pac Man arrives in the Green Mountain State

Monday 8 April 2024 20:14 , Amber Jamieson

The partial eclipse has begun in Vermont – and it looks like a favourite video game character.

“It looks like Pacman,” said Robin Sparer, 63-year-old from Maryland. “Mrs Pacman.”

Her friend Johanna Nathanson, 61, thought of a different image.

“It’s like an upside down piece of cheese,” she said.

They were at the Bootleggers Basin reservoir near Jeffersonville, VT – Nathanson owns a cabin nearby but they were surprised a few dozen people had turned up to the locally-known spot.

“But why wouldn’t you? It’s an incredible opportunity,” said Ms Sparer.

They’d been watching a livestream of people across the country seeing the eclipse – from the crowds at Niagara Falls to a stadium in Ohio – and felt like nature in Vermont was the premium eclipse option.

“This is so much better than sitting in cleveland,” said Ms Sparer.

But cloud is coming in – “dammit” was Ms Sparer’s review.

Total solar eclipse reaches Cleveland, Ohio

Monday 8 April 2024 20:20 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Cleveland, Ohio, is now under the path of totality.

Shots from Nasa’s Salvatore Oriti at the Glenn Research Center show solar flares emerging from behind the Moon.

Staff at The Independent’s New York office enjoy the eclipse

Monday 8 April 2024 20:38 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Some pretty excited faces in New York, where staff at The Independent are on the street to take in the views.

How the solar eclipse looks from space

Monday 8 April 2024 20:51 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) can see not one, but two views of the solar eclipse.

Out of their windows they can see the Moon passing in front of the Sun, as well as the Moon’s shadow passing over the Earth.

Nasa shared a clip of how the solar eclipse appears from space:

Moon ‘blocks' Sun

Monday 8 April 2024 20:53 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Nasa is having some fun elsewhere on its social media accounts.

The official @NasaMoon account ‘blocked’ the @NasaSun account on X (formerly Twitter).

The view from a Rhode Island daycare

Monday 8 April 2024 21:10 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Children at a daycare in Providence, Rhode Island, have been enjoying the eclipse through some colourful headwear.

Céleste, 5, watched her first ever solar eclipse through a mask she decorated herself.

Her verdict of the celestial spectacle? “I love it!”

Total solar eclipse in pictures

Monday 8 April 2024 21:41 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’ve got a round up of the best pictures from across North America of today’s solar eclipse.

You can see them here:

Total solar eclipse in pictures

‘I was about to cry’ says top astrophysicist in Montreal

Monday 8 April 2024 22:03 , Simon Calder

“We were in connection directly with the universe, with the sun, with the moon, and we are so humble to see that.”

Minutes after the moon blotted out the sun for 90 surreal seconds on an island in the St Lawrence River, Olivier Hernandez, director of the Montreal Planetarium and a noted astrophysicist, was almost in tears.

“It was so emotional I was about to cry. Did you see the corona? Did you see the purity of the light coming out from the sun? We have seen also the chromosphere,” he said

“Wow, what a show, what a show.”

In the Great American Eclipse of 2024, Montreal was the star turn that no one had predicted. Most astronomical attention along the “zone of totality” was focused on Texas and the Midwest, with Niagara Falls also hoping for clear skies over one of the world’s great tourism icons.

In the end, though, the corrugated skyline of Canada’s biggest French-speaking city was the backdrop to a cosmic show that was summed up again and again as extraordinaire.

Niagara Falls plunges into darkness

Monday 8 April 2024 22:19 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Local outlet WIVB-TV has shared footage of the moment Niagara Falls fell into darkness in the middle of the day.

The solar eclipse, whose path of totality passed right over the border town, caused street lights to automatically switch on.

Black spot appears over Earth

Monday 8 April 2024 22:29 , Anthony Cuthbertson

It’s not only the International Space Station offering views of today’s solar eclipse – a satellite from SpaceX’s Starlink network caught the moment a black spot appeared over Earth.

More pictures from Montreal

Monday 8 April 2024 23:01 , Simon Calder

Weather Channel goes wild for solar eclipse

Tuesday 9 April 2024 00:30 , Anthony Cuthbertson

A clip from the Weather Channel has been doing the rounds after the presenter got very excited by the totality.

Stephanie Abrams was in Fredericksburg, Texas, when the total solar eclipse appeared from behind the clouds.

She can be heard screaming through the darkness: “We got it! Oh my god, it’s just so amazing.”

You can watch it here:

Here’s what the solar eclipse looked like in the path of totality

01:45 , Graeme Massie

‘What was the experience like watching it? Eudaimonia,’ one person who’d travelled eight hours to see the total solar eclipse in Vermont told Amber Jamieson.

‘Way beyond our expectations’: Experiencing the eclipse in the path of totality

What are the next celestial events to look forward to?

02:57 , Graeme Massie

The eclipse is over, but the millions who watched it in North America don’t have that long to wait for the next celestial event.

Later this month will see the Lyrids Meteor Shower, before the Eta Aquarids light up the sky in May. In July, the Perseid meteor shower will rain shooting stars, while star gazers can also look forward to a partial lunar eclipse in September and an annular solar eclipse in October.

You can find out more about the next night-sky events here:

Post-eclipse hangover? Here’s the next celestial events

Scientists observe animal behaviour changes during eclipse

04:05 , Vishwam Sankaran

Zookeepers and scientists documented unusual behaviour among animals including, gorillas, giraffes, macaws and flamingoes during the total solar eclipse.

Since total solar eclipses are rare, researchers observed animals on Sunday evening at zoos including the San Antonio Zoo and the Fort Worth Zoo in the US.

The San Antonio Zoo shared a video of meerkats running erratically throughout their habitat “as one large group” during totality.

“Meerkats approaching and entering their indoor habitat space in the few minutes prior to totality, which supported our working hypothesis that diurnal animals, meaning those awake during the day, would display their typical evening activity patterns during totality!” the zoo’s official X account posted.

As the skies darkened, many animals in the Forth Worth zoo reportedly made their way through their barn doors, which the creatures usually do at night.

Birds also showed behaviour changes in some zoos.

An Indianapolis Zoo spokesperson told CBS News that macaws, budgies and other birds got quiet and roosted up high, displaying nighttime behaviour during the eclipse.

Google search for ‘eyes hurt’ spikes after eclipse

04:37 , Vishwam Sankaran

There was an uptick in Google search terms like “eyes hurt” and “my eyes hurt” around 2pm ET as the solar eclipse passed over North America.

Nearly 32 million people were on the path of the totality, including parts of US states Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maine as the rare celestial phenomenon occurred.

It will not be another two decades until the next total solar eclipse covering such major parts of the US occurs.

Looking at the sun without protective glasses can be harmful to vision, with complaints of eye problems documented even after previous eclipses.

Ophthalmologists say two main types of injuries may occur if one looks at the sun directly – burn to the outside of the eye, which is called solar keratitis, or damage to nerve tissue within.

“You can get sort of a burn to that cornea, and that’ll cause redness and tearing and those sorts of symptoms. That should resolve on its own, within a day or two, without any sort of permanent damage,” Daniel Lattin, an ophthalmologist in Florida, told NBC News.

Doctors cautioned ahead of the eclipse that people experiencing discomfort following eclipse viewing must seek medical help.

“See a local doctor of optometry for a comprehensive eye exam if you experience discomfort or vision issues post-eclipse,” the American Optometric Association said.

ISS astronauts photograph Moon's shadow on Earth

05:02 , Vishwam Sankaran

Nasa astronomers Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps took photographs and videotaped the Moon’s shadow on Earth as the International Space Station (ISS) passed between the Moon and the Earth.

The ISS was orbiting 260 miles above southeastern Canada as the Moon’s shadow, or umbra, was moving from New York state into Newfoundland, according to Nasa.

The orbiting laboratory experienced a totality of about 90 per cent during its flyover period.

Watch: Observatory shares timelapse video of eclipse

05:40 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire shared on X a timelapse video showing the Moon’s shadow blocking out the Sun.

The region experienced a partial eclipse with “99.97 per cent coverage” of the Sun.

“Winds were 35-50 mph at the time, so keeping our camera setup stable was a bit of a challenge, so we apologise for the wobble,” the private non-profit observatory said.

Temperatures dropped as eclipse crossed across US

06:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

As the solar eclipse passed across the US, many regions observed a drop in temperature.

“Interesting weather data at Cleveland-Hopkins Airport. The temperature dropped almost 10 degrees leading up to and during the total solar eclipse!” National Weather Service (NWS) Cleveland, Ohio, posted on X.

The total eclipse was visible in the sky over parts of Mexico as well as 15 US states and eastern Canada, while most other parts of North America experienced a partial solar eclipse.

Eclipses are known to have a brief impact on the areas they move through, including small drops in temperatures.

Peculiar red dots around Moon's shadow explained

06:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

Skywatchers reported seeing features appearing as ruby-coloured dots around the Moon’s outline as it eclipsed the Sun.

During a total solar eclipse, people on the Earth can only see the Sun’s atmosphere, or corona forming a halo as the Moon blocks the rest of the light from the Sun.

The fiery halo, called a prominence, is formed by massive loops of plasma hanging attached to the visible surface of the Sun.

Parts of the halo can also appear reddish as their plasma can originate deeper in the sun’s atmosphere – in a layer with hydrogen at high temperatures which emits red light.

When America would see next total solar eclipse

07:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

After Monday, North Americans will have to wait exactly 8 years, 11 months and 22 days to see another total solar eclipse.

A total solar eclipse visible from North America would occur next only on 30 March, 2033, according to Nasa.

People in Utqiagvik, Alaska – the most northerly settlement in the US – will be in the path of totatility.

Overall, in both Russia and the US, about 67,600 people are likely to be living in the path of totality during the 2033 eclipse.

In comparison, Monday’s eclipse was visible to over 40 million people.

After that, the next total solar eclipse covering North America is expected to be on 22 August, 2044.

During this eclipse, Calgary and Edmonton in Canada as well as Montana and North Dakota in the US, will get a view of the eclipsed Sun.

Then just under a year after that, on 12 August 2045, the US will have a coast-to-coast total solar eclipse with totality visible from northern California, Kansas, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida.

What scientists hope to understand from eclipse

07:31 , Vishwam Sankaran

Scientists in several parts of the US are conducting studies to better understand how yesterday’s total solar eclipse affected the planet.

Space physicist Darci Snowden from Central Washington University sent up balloons to capture data and better understand how weather changed during the eclipse.

Weather balloons capable of flying up to 33km (20m) were flown into the stratosphere, carrying battery-powered instruments for collecting data on temperature, humidity, pressure, as well as wind direction and speed.

A Nasa team also launched data-collecting jets above Earth’s atmosphere to learn more about the structure and temperature of the Sun’s outer atmosphere.

“The total solar eclipse is a really exciting way to engage the public in science while at the same time advancing our knowledge of the sun and its impacts on us here on Earth,” Colleen Hartman, director of the Space Studies Board of the National Academies, said.

Scientists at MIT’s Haystack Observatory are studying how the solar eclipse affected the topmost layers of the atmosphere, including its outermost ionosphere layer where many satellites orbit.

They hope to study how the ionosphere responds before, during, and after the eclipse, as the sun’s radiation suddenly dips.

Researchers also observed how animal behaviours changed when the eclipse passed over North America.

As the eclipse neared totality, many animals in the Columbus Zoo, including sloth bear, red pandas, reindeer, ostriches went to sleep as if it was nighttime.

“About seven minutes afterward, it started to lighten back up a little bit and they all stood up and they started grooming as though they were preparing for the day,” Shannon Borders, curator of the zoo’s Heart of Africa exhibit, told The Columbus Dispatch.

Observers in Fort Worth Zoo, Texas said some animals displaying curiosity and vigilance during the eclipse.

Animals including elephants, giraffes, bonobos, and gorillas at the zoo reportedly moved toward their barn doors, something they do at night.

Flamingos and penguins at the zoo formed a cluster before totality, while others birds began to get quieter, authorities said.

Americans moved across cities braving traffic to see eclipse

08:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

Roads in many parts of the US experienced traffic jams and parking lots packed to full capacity as people flocked to see the total solar eclipse.

In Maine, for instance, officials said there were traffic delays round the state, with some roads seeing delays by as much as three hours.

Tens of thousands of visitors reportedly flocked in to see the cosmic spectacle in Maine – the last stop in the path of the eclipse before it headed into Canada.

Municipal garages in many parts of Burlington, Vermont were full more than four hours ahead of totality, NPR reported.

Visitors were reportedly coming into see the eclipse from across the world, including in 90 private planes.

Eclipse briefly lowered solar energy generation across US states

08:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

Solar energy generation across many US states, including Texas and Florida briefly reduced during the total solar eclipse yesterday.

Texas is expected to have lost the most solar generating capacity as most of the state is on the path that will lose 90 per cent to 99 per cent of sunlight.

Electricity generators in affected areas increased output from other sources of electricity generation to supplement the decrease in solar power, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

An increased demand from homes and businesses with rooftop solar during the eclipse was already anticipated.

“Even with the eclipse, we still expect solar power will be the third-largest contributor of electricity in the US on 8 April, behind natural gas and nuclear,” the EIA said.

Why scientists observed Earth's ionosphere during eclipse

09:05 , Vishwam Sankaran

During yesterday’s eclipse, scientists in several parts of the US used various instruments to measure changes in the density of electrons in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

The electron content in the ionosphere is a proxy for how ionised this layer is, which affects satellite transmissions crucial for such things as communication and navigation.

While the ionosphere electron levels were found to dip in some places as anticipated during the eclipse, it is essential to determine how waves in this outer atmosphere layer, generated during totality, propagated.

“We’ll look at how waves generated around the eclipse affect navigation systems and will directly image the eclipse in the ionosphere as it moves,” space weather researcher David Themens from the University of Birmingham, said.

Searches for ‘blind’ and ‘eye damage’ surge following eclipse

10:28 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Despite all the warnings about the risks of staring at the Sun without protection, Google Trends data shows that searches for ‘retina damage’, ‘eyes hurt’, ‘can’t see’, ‘blind’ and ‘eye damage’ all spiked in the hours after the eclipse.

Nasa warned ahead of the celestial event that the consequences could be severe for anyone not taking appropriate measures to protect their eyes.

“Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing,” the US space agency said.

“Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”

You can read the full story here.

Jon Stewart points out flaw in Fox News tying eclipse to immigration

11:29 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The Sun’s path of totality during Monday’s solar eclipse passed right over Eagle Pass, a town on the US-Mexico border that has become a popular route for migrants in recent years.

This was apparently enough reason for Fox News to tie the eclipse to immigration, with anchor Dana Perino warning viewers that higher traffic could be “a real opportunity for smugglers and cartels and migrants to come right in”.

The Daily Show host Jon Stewart was quick to call out Fox News, saying on Monday’s show: “Is there nothing Fox can’t tie to immigration?”

He then envisioned the network delivering an even more bizarre scenario: “This year’s cicada infestation provides perfect cover for Venezuelans.”

You can watch the clip and read the full story here:

Jon Stewart points out flaw in Fox News’ efforts to tie solar eclipse to immigration

Woman blames eclipse for shooting spree

12:35 , Anthony Cuthbertson

While Fox News blames the solar eclipse for increased cartel activity, a woman in Florida has claimed the celestial spectacle provoked a shooting spree along an interstate.

Taylon Nichelle Celestine, 22, of Georgia, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and improper discharge of a firearm over the alleged random shooting rampage on Monday.

According to Highway Patrol, Ms Celestine had recently checked out of a local hotel and told staff that she was about to embark on a shooting spree, saying she had been directed by God in relation to the solar eclipse.

You can read the full story here:

Woman accused of shooting spree claims God told her to do it because of solar eclipse

When is the next total eclipse?

14:11 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The next total solar eclipse to cross the continental United States won’t take place until 12 August, 2045. But you don’t have to wait 21 years to watch one.

There will actually be an annular solar eclipse later this year in South America on 2 October, though it passes over far fewer people than yesterday’s event.

The next total eclipse will take place on 12 August, 2026, which Nasa says will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal. A partial eclipse will be visible in Europe, Africa, North America, the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean.

This is the route it will take:

Where to see the next eclipses

15:56 , Anthony Cuthbertson

If you live in Australia, you’ve got a better-than-average chance of witnessing an eclipse over the next 16 years.

As this map shows, there will be four total solar eclipses that cross over Australia before 2040, with three of them also gracing New Zealand. In this same time period, not a single total eclipse crosses South America - though a fair few annular eclipses will.