The Solar Eclipse: Highlights From Its Path Across the United States
— Nicholas St. Fleur and Dennis Overbye
In Washington, where the sun was about 80 percent obscured by the moon, President Trump, Melania Trump
and their son, Barron Trump, took in the scene from the Truman Balcony just after 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.
“Go away, clouds,” people chanted briefly as totality approached with the sun mostly obscured by a storm cloud.
“We’re all excited to be here right now — as long as
that doesn’t happen,” she said as she was interrupted by the first of many giant clouds to shroud the stadium.
• A total solar eclipse made contact in Oregon just after 1:15 p.m. Eastern time on Monday,
darkening skies as the moon obscured the sun and cast a long shadow across Earth.
• In Washington, where the sun was about 80 percent obscured, President Trump
and the first lady, Melania Trump, took in the partial eclipse at the White House.
They hooted and hollered as the moon slowly worked its way across the sun — a sight that, with glasses, was visible through the clouds.
In the football stadium at Southern Illinois University, gigantic, cotton-candy clouds
seemingly appeared out of nowhere to block the sun just one hour before totality.
