The full effect of Monday’s total eclipse could only be experienced in what’s known as the path of totality — a 115-mile-wide band that ran northeast from Mexico’s Pacific coast through cloudy southwest Texas, past the heart of Indiana, over Major League Baseball fans gathered hours early in Cleveland, past Niagara Falls and through Maine into Canada. But only where the weather cooperated.
About 44 million people live within the track, and a couple hundred million more reside within 200 miles.
“This may be the most viewed astronomical event in history,” said National Air and Space Museum curator Teasel Muir-Harmony, standing outside the museum in Washington, awaiting a partial eclipse.
In the Bay Area, total solar eclipses — where day turns to night, stars come out, temperatures drop and birds stop singing — are extremely rare. The last one visible over San Francisco occurred 600 years ago, on June 26, 1424, according to NASA.
And the next one won’t happen until 228 years from now, on Dec. 31, 2252.
The next total solar eclipse that will be visible anywhere in California will occur on Aug. 12, 2045, according to NASA, following a path that includes far Northern California communities like Redding, before it moves across the nation to Florida. -Paul Rogers
Solar prominences are seen during a total solar eclipse in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024. (Keegan Barber/NASA via AP)
Skiers and hikers take in the view from the Appalachian Trail at the summit of Saddleback Mountain during the total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, near Rangeley, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 08: Zion Edwards of Grand Prairie, Texas, looks at the solar eclipse through two pair of mylar filter glasses near the base of the Washington Monument on the National Mall on April 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. People have traveled to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today, with the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t happen until 2044. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
TORREON, MEXICO – APRIL 08: Aerial view of people watching the total eclipse at Cristo de las Noas on April 08, 2024 in Torreon, Mexico. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Saul Perales/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 08: The solar eclipse is seen above the Washington Monument on April 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. People have traveled to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today. The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t happen until 2044. A refraction from the camera’s lens is visible in the lower part of the frame. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
22 DE FEBRERO, MEXICO – APRIL 8: A family watches the eclipse using special glasses on April 8, 2024 in 22 de Febrero, Mexico. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the path of totality in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Cristopher Rogel Blanquet/Getty Images)
A window reflection of the Empire State building appears behind James Hudson, left, from Long Island, N.Y., as he wears special glasses to view a partial eclipse of the moon covering the sun, Monday April 8, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
TOPSHOT – People look toward the sky at the ‘Edge at Hudson Yards’ observation deck during a solar eclipse across North America, in New York City on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of 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. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS – APRIL 08: People view the total eclipse from Saluki Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University on April 08, 2024 in Carbondale, Illinois. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America in the “path of totality” to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
A partial eclipse is seen in one of the telescopes at the Foothill College Observatory as Mehrnoush Shahhosseini of Palo Alto, right, and her friend, Mehraneh Khadjevand of Redwood City, center, wait their turn at the telescope in Los Altos Hills, Calif., on Monday, April 8, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
Brisemae Long, of Alameda, center, joins her father Robert Baylosis, of San Leandro, as they look up during a partial solar eclipse viewing event held at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 8, 2024. About 400 people attended the event to watch the moon pass between the Earth and sun, obscuring about one-third of the sun over the Bay Area. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS – APRIL 08: A couple kisses while holding a dog during a mass wedding at the Total Eclipse of the Heart solar eclipse festival on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – APRIL 8: The Washington Monument is visible as people view the partial solar eclipse at Gravelly Point Park on April 8, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. People have traveled to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today, with the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t happen until 2044. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Patrons look up at the sun during an solar eclipse during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Monday, April 8, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Members of the press work while the moon eclipses the sun during a total solar eclipse seen from Mazatlan, Sinaloa state, Mexico on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of 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. (Photo by RASHIDE FRIAS / AFP) (Photo by RASHIDE FRIAS/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT – In this composite of 7 photographs, the moon passes by the sun into totality creating the diamond ring effect during a total solar eclipse in Bloomington, Indiana, on April 8, 2024. This year’s path of 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. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Spectators use special glasses to watch a solar eclipse near Griffith Observatory on Monday, April 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)
People wear solar eclipse glasses as they observe the partial phase of a total solar eclipse, in Kingston, Ont., Monday, April 8, 2024. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)
People gather to watch the total solar eclipse from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico, Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 8: People gather on the National Mall to view the partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. People have traveled to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today, with the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t happen until 2044. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
People gather to look on during a solar eclipse outside the Fiserv Forum Monday, April 8, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wis. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
DALLAS, TEXAS – APRIL 08: Service dogs wear goggles before boarding Southwest flight 1252 from Dallas, Texas to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which passed through the path of totality on April 08, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
IN FLIGHT – APRIL 08: Jose Noble lays on his daughter Alayna’s lap to try and catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse as the plane passes through the path of totality during a Southwest flight 1252 from Dallas, Texas to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 08, 2024 in flight to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Samantha Palmer, left, and Gerald Lester watch a total solar eclipse before getting married during the event, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Trenton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
BRADY, TEXAS – APRIL 08: The Chavez family watches the Total eclipse together on April 08, 2024 in Brady, Texas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience the eclipse today. During the event, the moon will pass in between the Sun and the Earth, appearing to block the Sun. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS – APRIL 08: A bride and groom view the solar eclipse amid a darkened sky after marrying at a mass wedding at the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the “path of totality” in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
People use special glasses to watch the total solar eclipse from Agers Falls in Lyons Falls, N.Y., Monday, April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Sydney Schaefer)
This composite image of multiple exposures shows the progression of a partial solar eclipse over the Washington Monument, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Washington. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)