Mexico City, April 9 - The first total solar eclipse of 2024 unfolded in dramatic fashion on Monday, with Mazatlán marking the first spot on Earth to witness the celestial phenomenon. According to local time, the eclipse reached totality at 11:07 am, blanketing Mexico's Pacific coast in darkness and transforming midday into an eerie night scene.

While the total eclipse wasn't visible from India, it captivated skywatchers across North America, Canada, and beyond. Regions including Jamaica, Ireland, England's northwest, Cuba, Dominica, Costa Rica, Western Europe, French Polynesia, and parts of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic witnessed the partial eclipse. In India, the partial eclipse began at 9:12 pm on April 8 and ended at 2:22 am on April 9, with a total duration of 5 hours and 10 minutes. The period of totality, where the sun was completely obscured, lasted for 4 minutes and 11 seconds.

The eclipse drew crowds from across North America, eager to witness this rare astronomical event. As the moon eclipsed the sun, observers were treated to a breathtaking display of dimming light, followed by the awe-inspiring sight of a dazzling ring of sunlight known as the "diamond ring" effect.

For Hanika Rijo of Carleton University, the total solar eclipse served as a profound reminder of humanity's place in the vastness of space. Scientists have long been fascinated by the mysteries surrounding the sun's formation and the birth of our solar system. Rijo highlighted ongoing research focused on determining the age of the Sun's magma ocean, which is estimated to have formed between 100 and 150 million years after the sun's birth.