MESQUITE (U.S.), Millions of spectators along a narrow corridor stretching from Mexico to the U.S. and Canada anxiously awaited Monday's astronomical spectacle - a total eclipse of the sun - even as forecasters called for clouds.
The best weather was expected at the end of the eclipse in Vermont en Maine as well as New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
It promises to be North America's largest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to densely populated avenues and the allure of more than four minutes of midday darkness in Texas and other favorite spots. If the weather remained favorable, almost all of North America was guaranteed at least a partial eclipse.
"Cloud cover is one of the hardest things to forecast," National Weather Service meteorologist Alexa Mains said Sunday at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland." "At least, it won't snow."
The uncertainty hanging over the cliff added to the drama. Rain or shine, "It's about sharing the experience with other people," said Chris Lomas of Gotham England, who was staying in a sold-out trailer resort outside Dallas, the largest city of totality.
For Monday's total eclipse, the Moon was completely blocked as it slipped right in front of the Sun. The resulting twilight, in which only the Sun's outer atmosphere or corona is visible, will be long enough for birds and other animals to be quiet, and for planets, stars and perhaps a comet to peek out.Out-of-sync darkness lasts 4 minutes, 28 seconds. That's almost double what happened during the U.S. coast-to-coast eclipse seven years ago because the moon is closer to Earth. It would take another 21 years for the US to see another total solar eclipse on this scale.
Lasting five hours from first sunrise to last, Monday's eclipse begins in the Pacific and reaches Mazatlán, Mexico, before moving across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and 12 other U.S. states in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New Mexico. Makes landfall in. England, and then Canada.Last stop: Newfoundland, with the eclipse ending in the North Atlantic.
It will take just 1 hour, 40 minutes for the moon's shadow to travel more than 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) across the continent.
Viewing the Sun requires eye protection with proper eclipse glasses and filters, except when it is completely out of sight during an eclipse.
The path of totality – about 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide this time – covers several major cities, including Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York and Montreal. An estimated 44 million people live within the tracks, while a few hundred million more live within 200 miles (32 kilometres).Add in all the people chasing the eclipse, amateur astronomers, just plain curious scientists, and it's no wonder hotels and flights were sold out and roads were jammed.
Experts from NASA and several universities have been deployed along the route, ready to launch research rockets and weather balloons and conduct experiments. Seven astronauts from the International Space Station will also remain on watch 27 miles (435 kilometers) above.
The best weather was expected at the end of the eclipse in Vermont en Maine as well as New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
It promises to be North America's largest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to densely populated avenues and the allure of more than four minutes of midday darkness in Texas and other favorite spots. If the weather remained favorable, almost all of North America was guaranteed at least a partial eclipse.
"Cloud cover is one of the hardest things to forecast," National Weather Service meteorologist Alexa Mains said Sunday at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland." "At least, it won't snow."
The uncertainty hanging over the cliff added to the drama. Rain or shine, "It's about sharing the experience with other people," said Chris Lomas of Gotham England, who was staying in a sold-out trailer resort outside Dallas, the largest city of totality.
For Monday's total eclipse, the Moon was completely blocked as it slipped right in front of the Sun. The resulting twilight, in which only the Sun's outer atmosphere or corona is visible, will be long enough for birds and other animals to be quiet, and for planets, stars and perhaps a comet to peek out.Out-of-sync darkness lasts 4 minutes, 28 seconds. That's almost double what happened during the U.S. coast-to-coast eclipse seven years ago because the moon is closer to Earth. It would take another 21 years for the US to see another total solar eclipse on this scale.
Lasting five hours from first sunrise to last, Monday's eclipse begins in the Pacific and reaches Mazatlán, Mexico, before moving across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and 12 other U.S. states in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New Mexico. Makes landfall in. England, and then Canada.Last stop: Newfoundland, with the eclipse ending in the North Atlantic.
It will take just 1 hour, 40 minutes for the moon's shadow to travel more than 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) across the continent.
Viewing the Sun requires eye protection with proper eclipse glasses and filters, except when it is completely out of sight during an eclipse.
The path of totality – about 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide this time – covers several major cities, including Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York and Montreal. An estimated 44 million people live within the tracks, while a few hundred million more live within 200 miles (32 kilometres).Add in all the people chasing the eclipse, amateur astronomers, just plain curious scientists, and it's no wonder hotels and flights were sold out and roads were jammed.
Experts from NASA and several universities have been deployed along the route, ready to launch research rockets and weather balloons and conduct experiments. Seven astronauts from the International Space Station will also remain on watch 27 miles (435 kilometers) above.
