How America watched the solar eclipse
Clip: Season 51 | 2m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
Millions witnessed the Moon cover the Sun on April 8, some viewers sent us their videos.
Cities across the US dipped into darkness during a total solar eclipse. Here’s what it looked like as seen by Americans all over the country.
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.
Support provided by:
How America watched the solar eclipse
Clip: Season 51 | 2m 13sVideo has Closed Captions
Cities across the US dipped into darkness during a total solar eclipse. Here’s what it looked like as seen by Americans all over the country.
How to Watch NOVA
NOVA is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Buy Now
NOVA Labs
NOVA Labs is a free digital platform that engages teens and lifelong learners in games and interactives that foster authentic scientific exploration. Participants take part in real-world investigations by visualizing, analyzing, and playing with the same data that scientists use.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(onlooker gasps) - [Onlooker] Shut the (bleep) up.
- [Onlooker 2] Woo!
- [Onlooker] Oh, my God!
(dog barking) - [Onlooker 2] Oh, my God!
(crowd cheering) - [Eclipse Viewers] Whoa!
- [Buffalo Viewer] Nah!
(Buffalo sightseer shouts) Yo, it's dead dark, y'all.
What do you mean?
Look at this.
Look at this.
(people banter) - Wait a minute.
- [Jackson Viewer] Oh, snap, it's gettin' dark, y'all!
- [Eclipse Viewer] Is it really?
- [Jackson Viewer] Yes!
(crowd chatters) - [Participant] You can see it.
- [Child] I can see it.
(crowd chatters) (person laughs) - [Edinboro Viewer] There it is.
- [Eclipse Viewer] Yes, it's black!
- [Edinboro Viewer] Woo!
- [Eclipse Viewer] Oh my, oh my God!
- [Sightseer] I cannot believe this.
- [Child] Oh my gosh.
- [Child 2] I've never seen this!
- [Child] It's so tiny for you guys for some reason.
It looks like the sun, with a little tiny dot inside.
It's a beautiful sunset without the sun.
(child chuckles) - [Onyx Viewer] This is amazing.
We're in Onyx, Arkansas, totality.
You have Jupiter in the lower right hand corner.
The other planet.
(fireworks crackling) We have some fireworks in the distance.
This is absolutely crazy.
(fireworks crackling) I've never seen anything like this ever.
- We drove for about five hours from the Philadelphia area all the way up to Geneva, New York, in the Finger Lakes, and today we're on the banks of the Seneca Lake to watch the eclipse.
Wow, pretty quiet crowd, but we're having fun.
- What?
- Look at that and it's like sunrise or sunset, all around, 360.
- Do you see it?
(Crickets chirping) There's not a cloud covering it.
- [Toddler] Mom, you need to pick me up.
- Okay.
Okay, you gotta put your glasses on.
- [Kingsland Viewer] It looks like a toenail, eww!
- [Parent] Come here, ready?
(people chatter) (person laughs) - [Child] It's (indistinct).
- [Person] Okay, good, you can.
The Physics of Breaking, a New Olympic Sport
Video has Closed Captions
Here are three moves in breaking, the newest Olympic sport, that appear to defy the laws of physics. (1m 19s)
What Happens to Your Body During a Speed Eating Competition?
Video has Closed Captions
Competitive eaters stretch their stomachs beyond limits. Here’s what happens inside their bodies. (5m 16s)
Flight Turbulence Is Actually Getting Worse
Video has Closed Captions
It’s not all in your head - flights really are bumpier these days. (1m 48s)
Sir Arthur C. Clarke's Vision of the Computer-Dominated Future
Video has Closed Captions
Watch this interview with Sir Arthur C. Clarke for The Mind Machine (1978.) (1m 39s)
How Medieval Armorers Made Knights Bulletproof
Video has Closed Captions
Knights and firearms clashed on the battlefield for over 200 years. (2m 15s)
Video has Closed Captions
Hurricanes are getting more intense, faster. (1m 2s)
This Powerful Psychedelic May Help Treat Opioid Addiction
Video has Closed Captions
In recent decades, there's been renewed interest in studying ibogaine. (3m 28s)
Can Technology Detect Deepfakes Better Than Humans Can?
Video has Closed Captions
AI-generated photos are video are getting so good that it’s hard for humans to tell what’s real. (7m 9s)
What Happened to the Hole in the Ozone Layer?
Video has Closed Captions
In the 1980s scientists discovered a crucial part of the Earth’s atmosphere was extremely thin. (3m 13s)
A Hidden Cause of Sinkholes Is Lurking Underground
Video has Closed Captions
About 40% of the U.S. is susceptible to sinkholes. (2m 21s)
Ozempic's Surprising Real Power
Video has Closed Captions
Blockbuster drug Ozempic keeps surprising scientists. (3m 51s)
What Dating Apps Know About You
Video has Closed Captions
You might be collecting matches, but dating apps are collecting your data. (2m 51s)
These cheeses are at risk of going extinct
Video has Closed Captions
The culprit is a lack of microbial biodiversity in the mold used to make iconic French cheeses. (1m 11s)
First ape ever seen using medicinal plant to treat wound
Video has Closed Captions
After this orangutan sustained a gnarly facial wound, he did something kind of human-like. (1m 58s)
Total Eclipse in the Heart of Texas Hill Country
Video has Closed Captions
People from all over the country converge on a small Texas town to see a total solar eclipse. (6m 41s)
New map of the universe hints that dark energy may be evolving
Video has Closed Captions
Dark energy fundamentally shapes our universe and what astronomers know about it might be wrong. (3m)
Are winters getting less snowy?
Video has Closed Captions
It’s not just your imagination, winters across the U.S. are changing. (4m 49s)
Now PlayingHow America watched the solar eclipse
Video has Closed Captions
Millions witnessed the Moon cover the Sun on April 8, some viewers sent us their videos. (2m 13s)
How to watch the eclipse without burning your eyes
Video has Closed Captions
A total solar eclipse is coming. If you want to check it out, you need eye protection. (1m 59s)
Rare stellar explosion will ignite a "new star"
Video has Closed Captions
Sometime between now and September a star will explode. (1m 17s)
The discovery of worlds beyond our solar system
Video has Closed Captions
How did we discover exoplanets? (1m 39s)
The force that makes up more than half of the universe
Video has Closed Captions
Dark Energy was first discovered in 1998, and scientists don’t fully understand it. (1m 40s)
How parrots swing like monkeys
Video has Closed Captions
Like monkeys, parrots are also able to travel by suspending their body weight. (1m 36s)
Who is the Mystery Man Buried Under Notre Dame?
Video has Closed Captions
Can scientists identify the man buried inside a mysterious coffin found under Notre Dame? (3m)
Lost Tombs of Notre Dame Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Mysterious bodies are found under one of the world’s most famous cathedrals. (30s)
Building Stuff: Change It! Preview
Video has Closed Captions
From electric flight to artificial noses, engineers are finding new ways to preserve our planet. (30s)
Building Stuff: Reach It! Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Humans are born to roam. See how engineers are inventing new ways to explore and extend our range. (30s)
Creating a Robotic Double Dutch Machine
Video has Closed Captions
Blending innovation and culture, engineers bring a robotic Double Dutch machine to life. (5m 8s)
Building Stuff: Boost It! Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Is engineering humanity’s superpower? See how we can amplify our natural abilities in amazing ways. (30s)
The Most Baffling Idea in Physics, Explained
Video has Closed Captions
Quantum entanglement defies our everyday understanding of reality. (3m 33s)
How Atomic Clocks Keep Perfect Time
Video has Closed Captions
Atomic clocks use quantum physics and the resonant frequency of atoms, like cesium, to define time. (2m 15s)
Decoding the Universe: Quantum Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Dive into the universe at the tiniest – and weirdest – of scales. (30s)
Solar System: Wandering Worlds Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Meet the surprising, oddball worlds moving around our solar system. (30s)
Could Mars Have a Ring Around It One Day?
Video has Closed Captions
The moon Phobos has a mysterious origin but a certain expiration date. (2m 16s)
Cameras Capture Earthbound Meteorite
Video has Closed Captions
Some large meteorites survive their descent through our atmosphere and land on Earth. (1m 39s)
Video has Closed Captions
As comets cross the invisible boundary known as the ice line, their ice starts turning into gas. (55s)
This Moon May Have the Ingredients for Life
Video has Closed Captions
The ocean beneath Europa’s icy shell might be an ideal environment for life. (2m 14s)
Solar System: Icy Worlds Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Visit strange, frozen worlds to discover the bizarre ice that forms beyond Earth. (30s)
This Tiny Moon Is a Volcanic Powerhouse
Video has Closed Captions
Io’s intense volcanic activity defies all expectations. (2m 45s)
Solar System: Volcano Worlds Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Discover the powerful volcanic eruptions that have shaped worlds across our solar system. (30s)
Enceladus: A Frozen Moon With Explosive Eruptions
Video has Closed Captions
Enceladus’ small size and icy surface is no limitation to its extreme volcanism. (1m 56s)
Could This Icy Moon’s Ocean Support Life?
Video has Closed Captions
Hydrothermal vents in Enceladus’ ocean may hold the promise of life. (1m 21s)
Why is Haumea Shaped Like an Egg?
Video has Closed Captions
Most objects with a radius over 200 miles are spherical, but Haumea is an exception. (2m 30s)
Solar System: Strange Worlds Preview
Video has Closed Captions
What are the weirdest worlds in our solar system, and how did they come to be? (30s)
How a Walnut-Shaped Moon Help Shape Saturn’s Rings
Video has Closed Captions
For millions of years, a tiny moon has made a significant impact on the structure of Saturn’s rings. (2m 35s)
Venus: The Planet With Battery Acid Clouds
Video has Closed Captions
This is what it would be like to walk on the surface of Venus. (3m 27s)
How the Martian Atmosphere Helped Nasa’s Rovers Restore Energy
Video has Closed Captions
Martian dust devils may have helped NASA’s rovers restore power during mission. (2m 59s)
Solar System: Storm Worlds Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Discover the dramatic forces creating spectacular weather on neighboring planets and moons. (30s)
How Vera Rubin broke barriers in astronomy
Video has Closed Captions
Vera Rubin's work provided convincing evidence for a mysterious substance, dark matter. (4m 4s)
The Deepest Underground Lab in the U.S.
Video has Closed Captions
A team of researchers hunt for dark matter deep underground in the Black Hills of South Dakota. (1m 44s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.