A total solar eclipse plunged the skies along a swathe of North America into darkness.

The moon completely blocked out the sun for more than four minutes in some places along a path starting in Mexico and crossing through the United States and into Canada.

Here are some of the best pictures abd videos from before, during, and after, the spectacular cosmic event.

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Total eclipse – as it happened

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A total solar eclipse is seen from Mazatlan in Mexico
Pic: Reuters

Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

Mazatlan in Mexico.
Pic: Reuters
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Mazatlan in Mexico.
Pic: Reuters

People watch the partial solar eclipse as they gather on the observation deck of Edge at Hudson Yards in New York.
Pic: Reuters
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People watch the partial solar eclipse as they gather on the observation deck of Edge at Hudson Yards in New York.
Pic: Reuters

People use their mobile phones as the sky darkens during a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Pic: AP
Image:
People use their mobile phones as the sky darkens in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Pic: AP

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Best moments from the solar eclipse

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Eclipse: How dark did it get?

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‘I think it’s happening!’

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0:58

First total eclipse seen in Mexico

People watch the eclipse in Times Square 
Pic: Reuters
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People watch the eclipse in Times Square
Pic: Reuters

A person watches the start of the eclipse in New York.
Pic: Reuters
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A person watches the start of the eclipse in New York.
Pic: Reuters

People use special protective glasses to observe a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico April 8, 2024. Pic:Reuters/Henry Romero
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People use special protective glasses in Mazatlan, Mexico .
Pic: Reuters

People dance next to models of the earth, sun and moon at Saluki Stadium in Illinois.
Pic: Reuters
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People dance next to models of the earth, sun and moon at Saluki Stadium in Illinois.
Pic: Reuters

Tawhid Rana  hold his daughter Thia, as she views the sun  at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Pic: AP
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Tawhid Rana holds his daughter Thia, as she views the sun at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Pic: AP

Clouds pass in front of the sun in Eagle Pass.
Pic: Texas Houston Chronicle/AP
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Clouds pass in front of the sun in Eagle Pass.
Pic: Texas Houston Chronicle/AP

Ximena 7 and Magdalena Govea 11 wait at the Saluki Stadium in Illinois.
Pic: Reuters
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Ximena and Magdalena Govea wait at the Saluki Stadium in Illinois.
Pic: Reuters

People prepare their telescopes in Mazatlan, Mexico to observe a total solar eclipse.
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People prepare their telescopes in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Pic: Reuters

Some of the 309 people gathered to break the Guinness World Record for the largest group of people dressed as the sun in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
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Some of the 309 people gathered to break the Guinness World Record for the largest group of people dressed as the sun in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
Pic: Reuters

Passengers wear solar eclipse glasses as they get ready to board a plane en route to Detroit, Michigan
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Passengers wear solar eclipse glasses as they get ready to board a plane en route to Detroit, Michigan.
Pic: Reuters

Tourists sit by the Horseshoe Falls ahead of the Solar Eclipse.
Pic: Reuters
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Tourists sit by the Horseshoe Falls ahead of the Solar Eclipse. Pic: Reuters

Tamra Sylvester poses with a person dressed as a NASA astronaut during a total eclipse viewing event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway .
Pic: AP
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Tamra Sylvester poses with a person dressed as a NASA astronaut during a total eclipse viewing event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Pic: AP

Special protective glasses placed for people to observe the solar eclipse, in Torreon. Mexico.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Special protective glasses placed for people to observe the solar eclipse, in Torreon. Mexico.
Pic: Reuters

A person plays a guitar, as people assemble to view the  partial solar eclipse over New York.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
A person plays a guitar, as people assemble to view the partial solar eclipse over New York.
Pic: Reuters

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