Millions of Americans became witnesses to history Monday when a total solar eclipse — exclusive to the U.S. — swept across the country from coast to coast for the first time.
The eclipse, which earned the nickname “The Great American Eclipse,” first touched down in Lincoln Beach, Ore., at 10:16 a.m. PST before cutting across the country diagonally. It moved over parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina, shrouding the states in sudden darkness before ending near Columbia, S.C. at 2:44 p.m. EST.
It was the first total eclipse of the sun visible from the contiguous U.S. since 1979. Total solar eclipses occur when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth and completely covers the entire face of the sun. They’re exceedingly rare.
The “Great American Eclipse” took just about an hour and a half to traverse the country. Watch our solar eclipse video, showing the eclipse as it appeared from Casper, Wyo., in four minutes above.
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time