Gallery: How the World Met the First Solar Eclipse of the Year

On Monday, April 8, residents of North America were able to witness a rare natural phenomenon - a total solar eclipse.

To some degree, the eclipse could be seen in every state in the US, as well as parts of northwestern Mexico and southeastern Canada.

The eclipse peaked in Mexico, where it was possible to see the sun's disk darken for nearly four and a half minutes.

Nearly 32 million people were able to view the phenomenon.

The next total solar eclipse anywhere in the world will occur on August 12, 2026, and will cover a large area, while totality will only be observed in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal.

Check out Sputnik Africa's gallery of how people met the can't-miss event!

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View of a total solar eclipse seen from Mazatlan, Sinaloa State, Mexico, on April 8, 2024. This year's totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip.

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Mackenzie Trumbull, left, and Kathy Trumbull gather to watch as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse as seen from the National Mall in Washington, Monday, April 8, 2024.

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Skiers and hikers take in the view from the Appalachian Trail at the summit of Saddleback Mountain during the total solar eclipse.

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Solar flares and a solar prominence are seen as the moon covers the sun during a total solar eclipse seen from Progressive Field in Cleveland.

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The moon partially covers the sun behind the Statue of Liberty during the solar eclipse on Liberty Island, Monday, April 8, 2024, in New York.

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A man views the total solar eclipse at Niagara Falls State Park in Niagara Falls, New York.

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Sun spots are seen during the beginning phase of a total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Steven Wilson lays in the grass outside the dugout and looks up through special glasses during a total solar eclipse, at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Monday, April 8, 2024, before the Cleveland Guardians home opener baseball game against the White Sox.

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This composite image of multiple exposures shows the progression of a partial solar eclipse over the Washington Monument, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Washington.

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This combination of photos shows the path of the moon, from right to left, during a total solar eclipse, seen from Mazatlan, Mexico, Monday, April 8, 2024.

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People gather to watch a total solar eclipse across North America, at Stonehenge II at the Hill Country Arts Foundation in Ingram, Texas, on April 8, 2024. This year's totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million living less than 200 miles from the strip. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won't come around until 2044.

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In this photo provided by NASA, the moon, top, is seen passing in front of the sun with the top of the Washington Monument in silhouette during a partial solar eclipse in Washington, Monday, April 8, 2024.

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Karine Rodriquez, right, sits with her son Yurem, left, and daughter Aranza, center, as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024.

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The moon passes the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024.

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Gerald Lester, right, dances with his new wife, Samantha Palmer, following a wedding ceremony during a total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Trenton, Ohio.

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The moon begins to eclipse part of the sun during a solar eclipse seen from Vigo, northwestern Spain, on April 8, 2024. The moon's shadow plunged the Pacific coast of Mexico into total darkness at 11:07 am local time (1807 GMT) and swept across the United States at supersonic speed before returning to the ocean over Canada's Atlantic coast just under an hour and a-half after landfall.

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A gorilla sits in an enclosure as the sun returns at the Fort Worth Zoo after a total solar eclipse Monday, April 8, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.

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Clouds roll by as the beginning phase of a total solar eclipse is visible from Arlington, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024.