Millions follow total eclipse of the sun across North America

The moon eclipses the sun in Fort Worth, Texas. Millions of people across North America last night experienced a total solar eclipse to a youth orchestra play Star Wars songs while a large screen projected images of Princess Leia behind them.

Luz Elena Aguillon de la O sat in the grass with a group of 14 family and friends who had gathered from Mexico City, Guanajuato and Mazatlan to take in the spectacle.

“Happy to be here with family, friends sharing a singular event that the universe and nature give us,” she said.

The weather was not good for a large part of the eclipse’s path. Clouds were expected to get in the way for a stretch of the route, with the heaviest clouds expected in parts of Texas.

There were patches that were predicted be clear. And meteorologists pointed out that the eclipse can still be visible if the clouds are high and thin.

The one area where clear skieswereexpectedwasnorthern New England through to Canada.

That area has “a pretty solid lock to be able to see the eclipse pretty crystal clear”, said National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Snell.

Fifteen US states had the chance to see the full eclipse, although just a small part of Tennessee and Michigan were included. The length of totality varied by location.

The moon’s shadow that falls on Earth followed along a path that was 115 miles wide.

Practically everyone in North America had the chance at catching at least a partial eclipse. The farther from the path of totality, the smaller the moon’s bite was out of the sun.

President Joe Biden posted a brief video on X, formerly Twitter, to encourage Americans to wear eye protection when viewing the eclipse – in a subtle dig at his predecessor and 2024 rival, former president Donald Trump.

“Folks, enjoy the eclipse, but play it safe, don’t be silly,” Mr Biden said in a video showing him donning eclipse glasses and looking skyward from the balcony outside the Blue Room of the White House.

That is the spot where Mr Trump glanced up toward the sun without eye protection in 2017.

It was the continent’s biggest eclipse audience ever, with a couple hundred million people living in or near the shadow’s path.