Total solar eclipse: Behind the cosmic coincidence and its unique path | DW News

Parts of North America have experienced a total solar eclipse. Tens of millions of people witnessed the rare spectacle. Its path cuts across the continent from Mexico to Canada. Those lucky enough to be in the path of totality saw the moon completely engulf the sun and briefly turn day into night.
00:00 Background
02:24 Kieth Cowing, Editor of NASA Watch
09:18 Simon Bone, DW reporter
12:10 Derrick Williams, DW Science
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[@cratecruncher4974]

I saw a total eclipse from my backyard today. The clouds magically parted just long enough to see it in it's entirety. It was spectacular!

[@waynethegreat23]

Arguably the clearest day I've ever seen and it was beautiful

[@EmilyTienne]

Just an amazing experience.

[@jeffmckinnon5842]

Same thing happened here in Hamilton Ontario, in Canada.. It was cloudy all morning, but the clouds parted, as if on que, just in time to experience this amazing wonder, from right outside my front door. The street lights came on, and I could see planets, and it became as dark as night, and I noticed the sudden drop in temperature. There were people standing all over the street, just soaking that in. It was great!

[@Ticona2]

It honestly makes you realize just how big the universe is, we are but ants when you think about it. Such an awesome thing to see.

[@ieltsmentor2427]

Should I leave my job then?

[@mirjanamilojevic7747]

​@@ieltsmentor2427 Don't, because the Cricket is relying on You😂🤣 😂...

[@JusticeLeGrand10101]

When you really think about it, we are humans. Science rebukes metaphors. Think about it Silly Human!

[@martingonzo]

Listen for the birds… “I don’t hear any”

[@tybogr2235]

😂😂

[@johnwaweru9670]

😂😂😂

[@UnpackingtheWorld]

😂

[@kyle5555]

😂😂😂

[@daniel19dj]

0:55 🤣😂🤣😂

[@jerrypolverino6025]

I am 77. It was the single greatest thing in the sky I have ever witnessed.

[@NateWithWho]

may you have a great life and be healthy years ahead. I wish my dad had a chance to see this, he is also 77 relatively healthy but living abroad.

[@daffidavit]

It was cloudly all morning in Georgetown Tx (north Austin area) until about 20 minutes before the Eclipse. Then the clouds suddenly parted. As soon as totality was complete, the clouds started to return. That was the true miracle.

[@adamredwine774]

The number of people I see saying this makes me wonder if the drop in temperature reduces the cloud cover.

[@ajrwilde14]

God is kind and wanted people to see it!

[@kyle5555]

I’m so happy for that. My family lives in round rock, and I was supposed to visit them and at the last second, I changed to Indiana. But they got to see it too and I’m so glad. Truely indescribable.

[@bobbydigital8056]

​@@adamredwine774That's exactly what happens, clouds require moisture usually from heat and convection. When it gets cool, clouds can dissipate due to lack of energy and fuel.

[@daffidavit]

That does make sense. But the entire cloud ceiling didn't disappear, only a large section around the sun. There was still a little haze in the atmosphere, but we could see the eclipse absolutely clearly. Another interesting thing is that even when the sun was about 98% covered by the moon, it was still too bright to look at without special glasses.@@adamredwine774

[@GG-un7hj]

That was DW News at its best! I was there today in Cleveland around 3:15 pm when it occurred. At my apartment complex there were hundreds of kids and many of their parents playing awaiting the spectacle. I was inside with a cold but a view of all the people outside. Suddenly maybe five minutes before total darkness my Kitty Cat 🐈 ended his afternoon catnap to snuggle against me. He definitely knew something unusual was happening. The people outside started getting extremely loud in the park/playground, some had flashers or sparklers, it was obviously a once in a lifetime shared event by the hundred or more there. In fact I heard Cleveland will not have another full max eclipse like this until the 2400s. Then it suddenly all happened as your viewers saw. There was a sense of Euphoria from the crowd, it was total darkness and life seemed to stand still for a few minutes. Then just as starkly it ended and life resumed. It was Special!

[@StephenLatimerWoody]

I wish I had the time/money now to have flown to either Mazatlan or Arkansas or the Maritimes for clear viewing. Here is hoping i'm still around for the 2044 total eclipse from Alberta.

[@Uncommonsensetoo]

No at it's worst. Why do so-called eclipse "experts" keep saying something so ridiculous that the sun is 400 times larger than the moon. Its DIAMETER is 400 times longer. The sun is 1.3 million times bigger than earth and 64 million times bigger than the moon. Also, the corona mass ejections from the sun that you see are not "as large as the earth", they are hundreds of times larger than earth.

[@johnmd4331]

I watched it in Dallas, sure was a beautiful sight! The temperature dropping, while the totality took place, makes you really appreciate the sun. I'm happy I can check this off my bucket list.

[@Dancenyc222]

It felt colder

[@blackwatertv7018]

Another big massive L for the conspiracy theorist.

[@kn0wmore126]

Flat earthers?

[@Morpheus187]

How flat is that circle?😂

[@Btc_bott]

What conspiracies? All i heard was it was a sign of the nearing of the 2nd coming of Jesus

[@Savage.-_.Gamer1]

@@Btc_bottI heard the world would end and the sun wouldn't shine anymore 😂

[@jorgealdine]

You should interview a person in path of totality. To be in totality is a completely different level of experience

[@lmeirelesxo]

It was incredible!!!!! I am still in awe! I am so thankful to have witnessed a totality in my lifetime. Videos and pictures don’t even do it justice. Definitely the coolest thing I have ever seen! And now I understand what the hype was about.

[@heltonms3041]

Much more exciting than I expected. Completely dark in Erie and birds got crazy...thanks God I was lucky to be working in the area!!!

[@VagrantLoafer]

It’s hard to remember the live sight of the eclipse. Tons of feelings are attached to the sight when I first looked straight at it. I tried to remember the experience a few hours later and I can’t even imagine it.

[@LuisTorres-mn1wv]

Mazatlán was full and people partying all weekend, even NASA people was dancing, it was all happiness 🎉🎉👏👏👏👏

[@kmfp]

guys, there is a grammar mistake in the title. It should read "and its unique path". You're very welcome

[@marlobardo4274]

What I found eerie during a total solar eclipse during summer close to noon in Australia is the still coolness which is also a cool stillness. There is nothing quite like that return of the light of life.

[@billkingston4402]

Greetings from Ireland, lucky to see the sun well alone an eclipse

[@Carol.Allison]

Lol very true over here 😂

[@Izzology]

Lmao, no kidding

[@m42037]

Iceland August 12th 2026 next one

[@placebogazebo9671]

It turned as dark as night does just before night turns totally dark, deep dusk. Very spooky.

[@MendeMaria-ej8bf]

I once experienced a moon eclipse in Southern Germany, but forgot when exactly it was.

[@78grafikal]

2,000

[@MendeMaria-ej8bf]

@@78grafikal Thank you for reminding me. ❤

[@lead_farmer69]

Now this reporter is the real deal "like the people applauding when the plane lands" 😂😂😂

[@mohamedhassanbangura8549]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@SpringIsBACK]

The weather in S. IL and W. KY this time of year normally would not cooperate, but the crowd at SIU / Carbondale, IL, and everyone in the region, got a real treat today! I've been privileged to see both this one (3+ minutes of totality from my vantage point) and the 2017 eclipse (2+ minutes of totality from my vantage point). This one was definitely darker and more dramatic for us, plus more of a corona and (I think) prominences visible too.

[@MK44078]

I sailed a canoe out into Lake Erie with a umbrella to see it.

[@lucasjames7524]

Saw it at 96% from the backyard today! Amazing. Someday I want to see a total solar eclipse.

[@shaundorney5342]

Such an amazing event. Thank you for your story. Well done.

[@careenforbes]

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalm 19 : 1 Stand at awe Jesus Christ is Lord 🙌🏿

[@pujaberry5899]

Saw this rare Celestial event from Leamington (1st place where Solar Eclipse 2024 hit in Canada) , in the path of Totality.The experience was breathtaking, cannot be expressed in words. Birds went crazy , dogs started barking and also it became very cold

[@StephenLatimerWoody]

Nice coverage, although very American centric. Eastern Canada had some of the clearest skies for this, many millions from eastern Ontario through Montreal and southern Quebec and the Maritimes had great viewing, including Niagra Falls Canada, the side of the border that also has by far the best views for the falls. ;)

[@leelevy9955]

Well done DW. Great coverage.

[@markmd9]

I saw an almost full eclipse when I was little (1999), It was a diamond ring but wasn't fully dark. Want to see it again.

[@filrabat1965]

North TX and Central TX was a bit uncertain. But I drove near Waco to see family, taking a gamble what they said about it might be clearer there. And I did find clear skies. Alas, I was just four miles (7 km) short of their hotel room when I decided that this was as good a skies as I'd get. Stopped at a small bait and tackle shop, and got a great all-around view. Half of the view completely cloudless, only about 10-15 seconds obscured by clouds. The rest, high clouds.

[@tnnsboy18]

I saw it in texas, and you could see the red flares from the sun without any glass's it was CRAZY...

[@Anthony_The_Chicken_Licker]

Without glass really? be prepared to get blind in a few months

[@nebulae10]

it was a magical experience and amazing feeling

[@bobbydigital8056]

Saw totality from Burlington VT, the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. I cried it was so beautiful. It's not too much to say that everyone owes it to themselves to go see a total eclipse before they die. Life changing.

[@christerry1773]

I saw it in my backyard today. Magical. Such a sense of calm for millions of people

[@NateWithWho]

saw in Austin... OMG something I would never forget.

[@divindave6117]

I got to see it. It was very cool. The sky was a wierd color and yeah, the birds and insects went silent. But the biggest impact I experienced was the darkness. Yeah, I knew it was gonna get dark, everyone knew. But I was unprepared for just how dark it got. It got as dark as midnight.

[@robertfoerster566]

What was also fascinating, while we had clouds I did get a look at it with the glasses briefly. It was then I realized how "tiny" the actual sun is in our sky, given it's distance of course. Once all that light is filtered out and you're just looking at the body itself, it was much much smaller to what you see in the sky...again knowing it's massive but also, much farther away.

[@sashaeltekeh2618]

That's how we felt

[@krismeaney2841]

@16:42 Where did you get that scientist who does not even know those red prominences seen were solar prominences, not lunar mountains!?! My gosh.

[@onlylove556]

A total eclipse happens once or twice every year somewhere on Earth. But then he calls it a consequence of a cosmic coincidence.🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ There's no such thing as a coincidence in God's creation🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@m42037]

All we have to do is Google the next Eclipse, August 12th 2026 in Iceland or Spain

[@onlylove556]

@@m42037 right 🤣🤣🤣 lol

[@JohnSOh-zg5ur]

I was working yesterday. I'm off today and watching news. LOL

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

Actually it's spelling Keith. I also remember the 1970 one where we were supposed to use a box, but it was cloudy where I was in NJ. I got to see the 2017 and the one today.

[@ajrwilde14]

I'm so grateful for the internet!!

[@cowgirl9014]

It was so worth the road trip to see the eclipse! Photos can’t convey the full beauty of it and the atmosphere or vibe it creates. It was interesting to see how the animals reacted. The song birds roosted and intensified their singing as if it was evening and suddenly went silent, then the frogs in a nearby marsh started singing and the mosquitoes came out! Didn’t care at all about the mosquitoes was too fascinated with the eclipse. Also makes you appreciate the power of the sun- a crescent worth actually emitted a very decent amount of light

[@superdad933]

my short poem..."I see the moon walking so slow so boring that it feels chilly when the moon is in the center of the sun more chills it has come"

[@antoniomartinez-ij9qd]

HA...I completely agree on the cell phone thing. ..I live in Monterrey MX and traveled early morning by road to Cuatro Cienegas, 270 Km NW to catch the 100%. the totality lasted 4m3s.... and for the first 1.5 minutes I was dealing with the phone settings & image quality .. it took me 2 seconds to say to myself...."This is a one-time-in a life experience, next one is 2054.. I´m 42 now and for the next one I´ll be 70.. *IF* I ever get to live...." I throwed the phone inside the truck and fully dedicated to watch the sky 😎

[@DarkHelixia]

Never before have we been so far apart, The bruises and scars still leave their mark, The warmth of your breath cools in the dark, A total eclipse of your heart.

[@mellow-jello]

The day with two nights, get it straight.

[@paulgibby6932]

And let's not forget how lucky some (most?) of us were to not have the show be obscured by clouds.

[@ministerofjoy]

Thank you

[@altarique123]

I loved it , watched it ,enjoyed it and appreciated to to almighty Allah for showing me this beautiful stunning change of day and nights within 4 minutes from Buffalo New York USA 🇺🇸

[@danayithabte4733]

I saw partial with cloud but, thank You Lord ur work is mind blowing 🙏

[@kierenmoore3236]

Thank you, science - for allowing us to predict this event, and informing us how to view it safely. And for freeing us from magical and superstitious thinking.

[@BonnieBlair-zm4uu]

Tysm 💌✝️🛐🇺🇲🌎Holy Trinity for a memorable experience.‼️❤😍😻🤩❣️🤍🕊️🕯️🌻✨🌄🌞🌕🌔🌓🌘💫🌟🌑🌟🌠🌗🌖🌕🌞

[@whatabouttheearth]

​@@kierenmoore3236 Cmon man, at least he wasn't trying to shove it down our throats. He just said his peace.

[@whatabouttheearth]

​@@BonnieBlair-zm4uu You are the pushy type of religious person noone likes

[@PA-gc6qj]

None of those experts know the question of the reporter and can't answer that about the flares of sun and the bending of light by gravity during eclipse moment.

[@emiliobello2538]

Interesting

[@teresamarinellyagreda3707]

Realmente maravilloso, gracias por compartir. Saludos desde Colombia.

[@rmk6693]

Why is this the dude you’re interviewing. He didn’t even see it and why wouldn’t he? Goodness gracious.

Bro wth. All the technology we have and all NASA could pull off was a 720p live stream where I could'nt see anything.

[@alexmarchettispag]

Interviewer: Did NASA find something new...?

[@shuamung]

How God's faithfulness and endless love has been shown toward us and all around the world

[@nancyhope2205]

The breeze, and the weird darkness.

[@whatabouttheearth]

Right? It cools down and the light around you turns blurry and metallic, it's so weird. No wonder the ancients thought the gods were freaking out about something

[@whatabouttheearth]

Right? It cools down and the light around you turns blurry and metallic, it's so weird. No wonder the ancients thought the gods were freaking out about something

[@BenWinder108]

It was great Hamilton Ontario just watched April 8 2024

[@girldaddividendinvestor]

I'm amazed this guy cares about OTHER people on their phones

[@urkiddingme6254]

It was only a 65% eclipse in Colorado, so nothing terribly exciting here. I did try the colander trick he mentioned, but must have been doing it wrong. All I saw were little round dots 😅 The local bookmobile gave out free eclipse lenses, so I did get to look at it straight on. Worth taking a moment to appreciate. Must have been awesome for those in total darkness further east.

[@Danybella]

😅

[@glenchapman3899]

It should have worked. I did the same thing back in 2017. Maybe not enough of the sun was covered to make a difference.

[@urkiddingme6254]

@@glenchapman3899 OK. I tried it about 30-45 minutes before "full" eclipse, then drove to the bookmobile, and voila! - eclipse viewing glasses for free.

[@J.Mulleno]

Were there stars visible too?

[@SheheryarAhmed-sp7qc]

Did I hear him say that sun is 400x larger than the moon? 1:24

[@inayatullahhingoro3228]

DW always best

[@IndriidaeNT]

The only two eclipses I have seen so far in my lifetime are the solar eclipse of 2017 which my mom, my grandpa and I saw at home from a cardboard box you can look at eclipses through and the solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 which my parents, sister and I saw right from Pine Bush. We only saw partial eclipses, we needed to travel to Syracuse or another location to see a total solar eclipse, the one where it makes it look just like nighttime outside. Oh well, I will see the next total solar eclipse in New York State in 2040. Or this summer if my parents and my sister and I could get the equipment for it, we can travel to Brazil and see the total solar eclipse from there. Solar eclipses are harder to see than lunar eclipses and are a once-in-a life opportunity to see.

[@NonaK-mz8oy]

The greatness of God speaks to His absolute rule over all things. His endless resources. His unimaginable power to do as He pleases and for whomever He pleases. He is King of all, even of those who would deny (v. 4) the One who upholds the universe with the word of His power (Heb 1:3).

[@NYCBX9]

It’s not a coincidence, it was created that way. This only happens on Earth. It fits perfectly. There’s greater forces at work for that to be coincidental

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

How do you know it only happens on earth? We have identified over 5000 planets in our galaxy and there are possibly millions more. How do you know it only happens on earth?

[@foreverkknight1]

I hope little girl at 2:17 didn't hurt her eyes 😢

[@geraldmiller5260]

The cheapest motel in Texas was $600 a night up to $2500 a night! Wow!

[@alexeimscruz2893]

16:12 you could see the solar prominences at the mid to lower right half of the solar corona... very fascinating spectacle, one I could never see again in my lifetime as the next total solar eclipse will be in 2045 when I would be 80 which might not be possible anymore

[@danielmartens156]

Is anyone going to explain the bright spot near the bottom at 7 o'clock?

[@davidhoward4715]

There is nothing to see at 7 o'clock.

[@simonvabraham]

The Moon is warning the Sun that you are not that awesome even during a day time.. A reminder to (solar-crazy) People on the earth, don't ignore the moon.

[@urkiddingme6254]

You must have watched that SNL skit.

[@ajrwilde14]

Wise!

[@edub9930]

So basically the moon "mooned" us all 🌙 🌙

[@KarakuraNinja]

All parts of gods design.

[@azamtebyanian2054]

There is no God.

[@kathleenking47]

​@@azamtebyanian2054yes there is... especially in math😊

[@user-hy5qv9sn7s]

God's creation is so amazing ❤

[@MsRocko99]

❤❤❤

[@erwincastillo8238]

When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight. It ends tonight.

[@MoritaJunichiro]

(🌝....🌞)👏🏻

[@erickmiranda2070]

That moment when the pingas hits and you start hearing things.. 0:55

[@paulanizan6159]

Unfortunately despite being in the path of totality, I did not see anything because of the cloud cover.

[@patbaptiste9510]

...and the world did not end as some predicted.

[@urkiddingme6254]

And they didn't have to burn any witches to bring the sun back.

[@user-gr7ot6dq4y]

Hi

[@waynethegreat23]

3-year-old said the sun look like a banana

[@mohamedhameed1909]

Subhanallah, god is great and he is the creater of Sky and earth.

[@jayraphaeljiaosallent]

Woman: Listen to the birds..... Man: I don't here any! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@whatabouttheearth]

Now surf that spring tide out until it brings you back with the bright moon 🌊

[@alnazar57]

سُبْحَانَ الْلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الْلَّهُ، وَالْلَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

[@saveuslord90]

Not coincidence!!! The work of God Almighty ❤

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

Prove it

[@burnsbernard]

The world is round a spinning around.

[@burnsbernard]

God is great

[@azamtebyanian2054]

I could not see the solar eclipse today, because the moon it didn't pass in WA states at all.

[@SheepofTheShepherd-nu3lz]

Genesis 1 Explains Creation not Evolution

[@TonyOkumura]

Saw it in Mawmelle, Arkansas! It was an amazing experience!

[@phlezktravels]

I drove 1000 miles round trip from Texas to Arkansas to make sure the weather was perfect. 360 degree video and cell phone footage on my channel.

[@user-ct2wq7eo8o]

hi good day

[@nighthawk0077]

Genius getting a guy on that was nowhere near the path of totality.

[@veggiecations]

Woman: So beautiful… listen for the birds… Man: I don’t hear any. 😂

[@infinitestare]

*its

[@mrtee1211]

"So which of the favours of your Lord will you deny" Al-Quran

[@whatabouttheearth]

Remember, if you gotta push your beliefs on people, than you don't really believe it in the back of your mind.

[@whatabouttheearth]

Remember, if you gotta push your beliefs on people, than you don't really believe it in the back of your mind.

[@HenryFalkner]

Pity that most of the coverage I have seen so far is 90 % gossip.

[@ov7960]

BlessTheLord JesusChrist for another beautifulone GodisTHEgreatest