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See solar eclipse photos from San Francisco and beyond as totality hits the U.S.

Solar eclipse
The sun is obscured by the moon during a partial solar eclipse from the rooftop of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco on Monday. | Source: Jungho Kim for The Standard

Across the region and around the country, millions of people managed to look skyward safely, gathering in groups to take in Monday’s solar eclipse, along a path of totality arcing from Texas through Maine, or partial paths that included much more of the country.

According to the Associated Press, fifteen U.S. states get a chance to see the full eclipse, although just a small bit of Tennessee and Michigan are included. The length of totality varies by location.

The moon’s shadow that falls on Earth follows along a path that is 115 miles wide. Practically everyone in North America will have a chance at catching at least a partial eclipse. The farther from the path of totality, the smaller the moon’s bite will be out of the sun.

“We’re seeing an astronomical event that can be observed for almost the entire continental United States,” Exploratorium staffer Ken Finn told The Standard late Monday morning. “On either side of that path of totality, you’re going to have 90% coverage of the sun by the moon.”

In the Bay Area, coverage of the sun peaked around 35%: “That’s a
moment to take note, and be curious and learn more.”

Solar eclipse
Karen Roberts watches the solar eclipse with dozens of others at the Exploratorium on Monday | Source: Justin Katigbak/The Standard
Solar eclipse
Barbara Liu, wearing a Dalmatian mask, watches the solar eclipse in San Francisco on Monday. | Source: Justin Katigbak/The Standard
Solar eclipse
Rebecca Horowitz uses a homemade camera to reflect the solar eclipse onto a white piece of paper at the San Francisco Exploratorium on Monday, April 8, 2024. This year’s solar eclipse was only 30% covered compared to the full solar eclipse in the Bay Area on Aug. 21, 2017. | Source: Justin Katigbak/The Standard
A solar eclipse; the Moon partially covers the Sun, against an orange sky.
The sun is obscured by the moon during a partial solar eclipse from the rooftop of the California Academy of Sciences on Monday. | Source: Jungho Kim for The Standard
Solar eclipse
Carol Wiebe and Deborah Israel relax while watching the solar eclipse at a viewing party at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley on Monday. | Source: Estefany Gonzalez/The Standard
A person is standing by water, wearing a welding mask, khaki shirt, and an ID badge.
Playing it safe, Maury Mossman uses a welding helmet to watch the solar eclipse outside the Exploratorium. | Source: Justin Katigbak/The Standard
A solar eclipse projection on a screen attached to a telescope, with onlookers observing the event.
A museum employee adjusts the focus on a projection of a partial solar eclipse on the rooftop of the California Academy of Sciences. | Source: Jungho Kim for The Standard
A person is wearing eclipse glasses and looking upwards, with curly hair and a blue sweater.
Lucia Rhiannon Harrison uses solar eclipse glasses during a viewing party at the Lawrence Hall of Science on Monday. | Source: Estefany Gonzalez/The Standard
A man smiles while operating a large camera on a tripod, with interested onlookers behind him in daylight.
Henri Li, 51, of Los Altos, shows off the image of the partial solar eclipse to others on the rooftop of the California Academy of Sciences. | Source: Jungho Kim for The Standard
A camera lens with a DIY solar eclipse filter made of cardboard and ice.
A pair of safety glasses are taped to the front of a camera lens to aid in photographing the partial solar eclipse on the rooftop of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. | Source: Jungho Kim for The Standard
A person is wearing special glasses, likely viewing an eclipse, with a fur hat and an open mouth in awe.
Maureen Gallatty watches the solar eclipse outside the Exploratorium in San Francisco on Monday. | Source: Justin Katigbak/The Standard
Solar eclipse
The moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse, as seen from Eagle Pass, Texas, on Monday. | Source: Eric Gay/AP Photo
People are wearing special glasses, looking up at the sky; likely viewing an eclipse. A festive atmosphere with a red stage in the background.
Couples view the solar eclipse during a mass wedding at the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival on Monday in Russellville, Arkansas. | Source: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Two kids are smiling while sharing eclipse glasses.
Miriam Toy, left, and Oliver Toy share a pair of eclipse glasses that NASA was handing out as they await the eclipse on Monday in Houlton, Maine. | Source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
A solar eclipse with a bright corona surrounding the dark moon silhouette against a black sky.
The moon eclipses the sun during a total solar eclipse across North America, as seen in Bloomington, Indiana, on Monday. | Source: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
A man in a navy suit stands by a column, wearing eclipse glasses, smiling and looking up. People in background also wear similar glasses.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) uses eclipse viewing glasses to look up at the partial solar eclipse from his office balcony at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Monday. | Source: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
A family of four wearing eclipse glasses stands high above a cityscape, seemingly observing a celestial event.
People look toward the sky at the "Edge at Hudson Yards" observation deck in New York City during a solar eclipse on Monday. | Source: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

George Kelly can be reached at gkelly@sfstandard.com