‘HA HA HA I’ve blocked the Sun’

Make way for the Moon, Nasa tweets from its verified Twitter account

Washington: As if a solar eclipse was not enough, the moon threw some virtual shade at the sun on Twitter on Monday, as millions of people watched the first total eclipse in the United States in nearly a century.

“HA HA HA I’ve blocked the Sun!” wrote NASA Moon (@NASAMoon) on its verified Twitter account, which was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

“Make way for theMoon.#SolarEclipse20 17.”

The tweet was accompanied with a screenshot photo showing that the moon had blocked the verified Twitter profile of Nasa Space (@NASASun).

The sun’s response was swift. “Uh EXCUSE me?!? #solareclipse2017,” tweeted @NASASun.

Tens of thousands of Twitter users liked the exchange and many social media users responded with amusement.

“This is just too perfect. Congratulations. You have won the entire internet,” user Andy Stein (@MandoPony) replied.

“I feel the moon is gonna get some licks in but the sun is gonna come out on top,” wrote another user, @GeeInTheNorth.

Some users exacerbated the spat online, using GIFs of celebrities applauding and toasting to the moon, while someaccused it of being petty and demanded that the sun respond.

After weeks of anticipation, the sight of the moon’s silhouette blotting out all but a halolike corona of the sun drew whoops and cheers from onlookers when it began over theWest Coast on Monday.

The celestial event began in Oregon at just after 9am PDT, and by 10.20am, the sun was completely blocked out except for a halo-like solar corona plunging the area into twilight.

Over the next 90 minutes, the total eclipse traveled through 14 different states until ending in South Carolina.

The other 36 states were all treated to a partial solar eclipse, where the moon covers only a part of the sun.

— AFP (From left) The partially eclipsed sun gradually moves to the full eclipse and the diamond ring affect over Grand Teton National Park, outside Jackson, Wyoming, on Monday. The total eclipse lasted 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Emotional sky-gazers stood...

— AFP US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump look up at the partial solar eclipse from the balcony of the White House in Washington on Monday. The Great American Eclipse completed its journey across the United States.