Total solar eclipse sends parts of Canada into darkness

Millions of people across North America fell into chilly midday darkness on Monday as atotal solar eclipse slid across the continent for the first time in seven years, leaving crowdsto experience a phenomenon they won't see in Canadaagain for decades.

Parts of southern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes were momentarily plunged into the darkas the moon slid between the sun and the Earth over the course of a few hours in the afternoon. The sky dimmed, birds went quiet, streetlights came on andthesun's corona a ghostly white ring around its outer edge became visible to the human eye.

"This is incredible. That diamond ring ... that's gorgeous,"said CBC'sChris Ensing, standing at the edge of Lake Erie during totality in Kingsville, Ont. "What a moment."

Clouds threatenedto block the view of the sun in many areas within the path of totality, but the thin layer of clouds didn't seem to make much of a difference as the moon cast its shadow over parts of Canada. Some crowds clapped at the sight overhead, like those in Kingsville, while others went quiet.

The crowd in Niagara Falls cheered for Norma Rois, 58, when she yelled out that it was her birthday during a moment of the totality.

WATCH |Thousands cheer as eclipse hitsNiagara Falls:

VIDEO | Crowd cheers as total eclipse peeks through clouds over Niagara Falls

6 months ago

Duration 0:47

Despite overcast skies, thousands of people in Niagara Falls, Ont., celebrated as they caught a glimpse of the total eclipse.

"I felt like I was with family members the whole time. I don't know their names, but we were cheering together," she said.

Kathy Eller of O'Leary, P.E.I., said she had no regrets after waiting outside for six hours to take in the total eclipse near the province's northwestern tip.

"It was better than fireworks," she said. "I forgot about everybody around, and was just concentrating on the sun and the moon. It was kind of like magic."

In the nation's capital, a public inquiry looking into foreign interference in Canada's elections pausedproceedings so thelawyers, witnesses and journalists could seethe show.

Thousands of peopleinMazatln, Mexico, were first on the continent to experiencetotalityat 1:05p.m. ET. Crowds came together in deck chairs on the coastline, looking skyward througheclipse glasses as the moon slipped across the sky.

"It was absolutely remarkable. The sky was a little bit cloudy ... but the eclipse totality was not obscured at all," said Joy Daniels, an eclipse chaser whotravelled to Mazatlnfrom her home in Calgary with 13 friends and family members.

"It went quite dark.... The birds, they all went to sleepand the temperature went way, way down."

The eclipse began over the southern Pacific Ocean before moving into Mexico and the United States.Crowdsin southwestern Ontario were the first in Canada to experience the eclipse before the showmoved into Quebec and Atlantic Canada, where it ended off the coast of Newfoundland after roughly 30 minutes.

In Canada, the path of totality the stretch where the moon will block the sunlight entirely includedparts of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador.

People outside the path of totality in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes could see a partial solar eclipse, with just a chunkof the sun obscured by the moon.

Here's what else you need to know.

• What did the total solar eclipse look like?
• Why was this eclipse so significant?
• Do I need special glasses to look at eclipses?
• Can I take photos of eclipseson my phone?
• Were Canadian cities in the path of totalitybusy?

What didthetotal solar eclipse look like?

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun. People watching fromthe path of totalityexperience what's called atotal solar eclipse. The sky goes darkas if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the sun's corona,the white ring usually washed out by the bright light of the sun.

Outside the path of totality, the moon moved between the sun and Earth but the three didn't line up perfectly. Only a part of the sun was covered, giving it a crescent-like shape.

WATCH | The first glimpse of totality in Mexico:

VIDEO | 'Oh my goodness!': The moment a total eclipse appeared

6 months ago

Duration 1:03

As the moon blocks the sun over Mazatln, Mexico one of the first parts of North America to experience totality CBC's Heather Hiscox and Astronomy in Action's Ryan Marciniak break down what people are seeing.

Why wasthis eclipse so significant?

After Monday, the next total solar eclipse over North America won't be until Aug. 23, 2044.

Beyond that, this event was particularly special because the path of totality passed over densely populated parts ofCanada, Mexico and the U.S.(Most solar eclipses happen over the ocean.)

This one was also a longer show, with darkness lasting nearly two minutes longer over some areas in the path of totality than the last solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017.

Do I need special glasses to look at eclipses?

Yes. It's always dangerous to look at the sun with the naked eye.Spaceagencies and ophthalmologists agree that looking at a partial solar eclipse without approved eye protection can cause lasting eye damage. TheCanadian Space AgencyandNASAhave bothextended advice for protecting your vision.

Eclipse glasses are sold at a variety of stores, both in person and online, but it's important to check for one key feature: Your glasses should bemarked with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 code. That code specifies the properties that a solar viewer should have to protect your eyes.

Can I take photos ofeclipseson my phone?

Photographers don't recommend it. Just like the immense amount of direct light from the sun can damage your eyes, it can damage the lens of a camera.

If you're really compelled to take a photo of the sun, photographers say you should cover the lens with a solar filter though they say their favourite photos are the ones that captured people as they experiencethe show.

WereCanadian cities in the path of totalitybusy?

Busier than usual. Many photographers and eclipse chasers spent months, if not years, planning for the total solar eclipse. Some have spent thousands of dollars travelling to what they hoped wouldbe the best vantage point.Citiesin the path of totality expected hundreds of thousands of people to flood their communities on Monday, potentially creating traffic jams. (Niagara Falls, Ont., was expected to be so crowded that the regiondeclared a state of emergency 11days in advance.