Millions of people across Mexico, the US and Canada looked to the skies on Monday to witness a total solar eclipse carve a narrow path of darkness across the continent.
Its shadow first touched the surface of the Earth in the Pacific Ocean before travelling across Mexico, turning daylight into darkness as crowds watched on.
![A girl poses with her glasses to see the eclipse from a car ahead of the eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico - 7 April 2024 (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/102D4/production/_133106266_crop_gettyimages-2147311764.jpg?)
![People use special protective glasses to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico - 8 April 2024 (Henry Romero/Reuters)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/BF36/production/_133105984_crop_e18a8f18a6143a17cb9fbe09d9ddb9cba64c198e.jpg?)
![The solar eclipse is seen from Mazatlan, Mexico - 8 April 2024 (Henry Romero/Reuters)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/0D84/production/_133106430_mob_crop_gettyimages-2147612248.jpg)
The eclipse rolled over the border into the US and brought darkness to large areas of Texas, including the cities of Austin and Dallas.
Total solar eclipses happen about every 18 months, but they’re often in unpopulated or remote areas whereas this one passed over several big cities across three countries.
![A woman and child take in the partial solar eclipse outside of the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 8 April 2024 (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/1C5C/production/_133106270_crop_gettyimages-2147621822.jpg?)
![A girl from Queens views a partial solar eclipse with a homemade mask in New York City - 8 April 2024 (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/17804/production/_133106269_crop_c26da7e543426a92163a6aa47134e57e0c7d9c70.jpg?)
While neither Washington DC nor New York City were in the path of totality, both saw about 90% of the Sun covered by the Moon and plenty of people took to the streets – and skyscrapers – to catch a view.
![People gather on the National Mall to view the partial solar eclipse in Washington DC - 8 April 2024 (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/57BC/production/_133106422_crop_gettyimages-2141954933.jpg?)
![A US Capitol police officer uses eclipse viewing glasses to look up at the partial solar eclipse in Washington DC - 8 April 2024 (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/30AC/production/_133106421_crop_gettyimages-2147621911.jpg?)
Many of those watching were treated to a breathtaking display of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, which is usually obscured by its own intense glare.
Some were even lucky enough to see a phenomenon called solar prominences extending from the Sun while it was behind the Moon.
![A view of total solar eclipse in West Frankfort, Illinois - 8 April 2024 (Peter Zay/Getty Images)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/7ECC/production/_133106423_crop_gettyimages-2141956543.jpg?)
![A view of total solar eclipse in West Frankfort, Illinois - 8 April 2024 (Peter Zay/Getty Images)](https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/B89C/production/_133106274_crop_gettyimages-2141956366.jpg?)
Stargazers in Canada were the last ones to catch a glimpse of the incredible event before the eclipse crossed into the Atlantic Ocean and out of view.