On Monday, April 8, parts of Canada were brought to a standstill as millions of people in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada eagerly waited to witness a once-in-a-generation event: a total solar eclipse. Offices emptied, classes were cancelled, and stores temporarily closed as eager skywatchers across North America donned special glasses and turned their heads skyward to watch the moon pass in front of the sun. 

The path of totality reached Canada around 3:15 p.m., beginning in southern Ontario and then moving through parts of Quebec and Atlantic Canada before exiting Newfoundland. Cloudy skies unfortunately prevailed along parts of the path, but that didn’t stop people from heading outside in droves to try to see and photograph the spectacle. And regardless of the sun’s visibility, people along the path still experienced some of the spooky effects of a total eclipse, including an eerie twilight, a drop in temperature, increased winds and in some cases, a change in animal behaviour as wildlife began their nighttime routine.

Total solar eclipses occur every couple of years, but what made this event so special was the sheer number of people in the path of totality, which passed over some of the most densely populated parts of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. The last time a total solar eclipse was visible from Canada was in 2008, and then only in Nunavut. The next total solar eclipse will happen on Aug. 12, 2026, but will only be visible from eastern Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain. People in Canada will have to wait until 2044 to witness another total solar eclipse, which will be visible from Alberta and parts of B.C.

To commemorate Monday’s eclipse, Canadian Geographic has collected a series of our favourite images captured by readers, photographers, staff and Can Geo Photo Club members.