The highly anticipated total solar eclipse became visible in Texas after reaching the Pacific coast of Mexico on Monday, crossing the U.S. border as it makes a more than 10,000-mile journey across North America—the first total eclipse to sweep through the U.S. in nearly seven years.
People use their cell phones as the sky darkens during a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico.
The total eclipse became visible near the Mexican city of Mazatlan at around 2:07 p.m. Eastern time, according to NASA, shrouding the coastal city in darkness for a few minutes as the moon blocked out the sun’s rays.
The total eclipse was viewable from the U.S.-Mexico border less than 30 minutes later, reaching totality in Dallas shortly after 2:40 p.m. Eastern time.
At 2:51 p.m. Eastern time, the total eclipse passed over central Arkansas, bringing just minutes of daytime darkness.
The “path of totality”—or the area in which the sun will be completely obscured by the moon for roughly four minutes—will follow a northeastern path from Mexico to Texas, the Midwest, the Great Lakes and New England.
While millions of Americans are expected to watch the eclipse, many will have their view blocked by overcast skies, with moderate visibility from Texas to Ohio and New York, according to AccuWeather meteorologists, though viewers in northern Maine and New Hampshire have a good chance of a clear shot at the eclipse.
The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse in Eagle Pass, Texas.
The sun disappears behind the moon in Mazatlan.
The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan.
Totality reached the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, after 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.
A partial solar eclipse is slated to begin at 12:23 p.m. central time in Dallas, with totality starting at 1:40 p.m. and lasting roughly four minutes, according to NASA. The total eclipse will begin in Little Rock at 1:51 p.m. central time, moving northeast to Evanston, Indiana, at 2:04 p.m. central time and Cleveland starting at 3:15 p.m. eastern time. The total eclipse will also pass over Buffalo starting at 3:18 p.m., before Burlington, Vermont, at 3:26 p.m. and Caribou, Maine, at 3:32 p.m.
The eclipse will bring a slate of rare astronomical and visual phenomena, allowing stargazers to catch a rare glimpse of the sun’s atmosphere, a midday view of the so-called devil comet and an effect called double rings, resembling the last flash of a sunset before the sun is entirely blocked.