Total solar eclipse in pictures: Photos of celestial spectacle as North America’s skies go dark

Images show the Moon blocking out the Sun in a rare event that won’t be seen again for decades

(Getty Images)

People have gathered across North America to take in a total solar eclipse.

Birds started chirping, the sky went dark and the air went cold as the Moon blocked out the Sun.

Such an event won’t be seen again in the region until 2044, meaning that some people travelled across the world to take it in.

But others captured it on cameras to ensure that the world can remember what some have called the Great North American Eclipse.

Images show it appearing over Mexico, before arriving in the US at Texas and then moving to the north eastern corner of the country, and on into Canada.

In Mexico, where the eclipse arrived in the Americas, the sun could be seen peeking out from behind the Moon.

(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

When the moment of totality arrived, some pictures were able to show the sun’s corona reaching out from behind the Moon. Usually, that corona is hidden by the brightness of the rest of the Sun.

The moon fully passes over the sun's horizon during a total solar eclipse on April 08, 2024 in Brady, Texas (Getty Images)

The monuments of Washington, DC – and the gloomy clouds that appeared over the city – made for some particularly dramatic pictures of the eclipse.

The partial solar eclipse is seen above the Statue of Freedom atop the dome of the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill (Getty Images)

Since it arrived in the middle of the day, the eclipse interrupted normal activities – including baseball games.

Brayan Rocchio #4, José Ramírez #11 and J.T. Maguire #84 of the Cleveland Guardians look up at the total solar eclipse before the home opener against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field (Getty Images)

The eclipse was commemorated by events staged to celebrate its arrival. That included Nasa displays – and dogs.

A person photographs a dog at a NASA display during the town's celebration of the April 8 solar eclipse (Getty Images)

Some event marked the day by getting married. In Russellville, Arkansas, more than 200 couples tied the knot at a mass wedding at the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival.

Bride Toni Phillips and groom David Wells look on before a planned mass wedding (Getty Images)

All around the world, people took to viewing parties to watch as the eclipse arrived.

(AFP via Getty Images)

Even The Independent’s New York team stepped out of the office to take in the sight.

(Valentina Botero)

And in Providence, Rhode Island, another member of the extended Independent family – Céleste Early-Mahiet, niece of eclipse live blogger Anthony Cuthbertson – watched the event in fitting headgear.

(Angela Early)

The eclipse began around lunchtime on Monday afternoon.