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In Pictures: Millions gather to watch solar eclipse sweep across US

The eclipse began in the middle of the Pacific on Monday afternoon.

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Total Solar Eclipse Texas

Millions of spectators in the US, Mexico and Canada gathered to view a total solar eclipse.

It was thought to be North America’s biggest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to the densely populated path.

The eclipse began in the middle of the Pacific, with people on the Cook Islands being the first to witness the phenomenon, and swept across North America, reaching Mexico next.

Total Solar Eclipse Ontario
People look towards the sun as darkness falls during the totality phase of the eclipse, in Kingston, Ontario, (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Montreal
People watch the total solar eclipse at Parc Jean Drapeau, in Montreal, Canada (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Mexico
The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse in Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Mexico
People watch as the sky goes dark in Mazatlan, Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP)
APTOPIX Total Solar Eclipse Mexico
The moon covers the sun in over Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Los Angeles
Isabel Franco, left, and her parrot Alex watch the eclipse from Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles (Andy Bao/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Texas
The view from Eagle Pass, Texas (Eric Gay/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Texas
People watch as the moon partially covers the sun in Eagle Pass, Texas (Eric Gay/AP)
Masters Golf
A woman looks up at the sun during during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia (Ashley Landis/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Texas
Clouds roll by as the beginning phase of a total solar eclipse is visible from Arlington, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024 (Julio Cortez/AP)

Totality will last up to four minutes and 28 seconds in certain spots.

Total Solar Eclipse Texas
Aaron Larson of Wisconsin poses for a photo standing in front of a sign in the town square in Paris, Texas (Tony Gutierrez/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Mexico
People prepare for the eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Texas
Photographers prepare to photograph the solar eclipse in Eagle Pass, Texas (Eric Gay/AP)

The eclipse was cutting diagonally from Texas to Maine, before exiting over eastern Canada into the Atlantic.

Total Solar Eclipse Indiana
Tawhid Rana, from Michigan, hold his daughter Thia, as she views the sun through a telescope at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis (Michael Conroy/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Texas
Ruben Aguirre from California, drops a pin on a map at an eclipse watching event in Paris, Texas (Tony Gutierrez/AP)
Total Solar Eclipse Ohio
Kenny Riehl, of Solon, Iowa, adjusts a telescope while looking at the sun before the total solar eclipse (Joshua A Bickel/AP)
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