Millions Awed by Total Solar Eclipse Across North America

Yesterday, residents of Mazatlán, Mexico had the distinction of being the first to witness the total solar eclipse at 2:07 p.m. ET, as it then proceeded on its trajectory into Texas, United States. This celestial event followed a “path of totality” stretching over 100 miles across the continent, treating millions to breathtaking views as the moon momentarily obscured the sun’s light by passing between Earth and the sun.

Across the United States, the sun was completely obscured for several minutes in 15 states, spanning from Texas to Maine, while the eclipse was partially visible in 49 states. The only exception was Alaska, where the eclipse remained elusive.

In a poignant moment in Russellville, Arkansas, dubbed a ‘total eclipse of the heart,’ hundreds of couples from all corners of the country gathered on a soccer field to exchange vows at the precise instant the moon obscured the sun. This symbolic act underlines the solemn commitment of marriage—enduring through both the brightest and darkest moments of life. However, it seemed that for some, embracing the darkness was the first step towards a lifetime of shared light.