On Monday, millions of Americans will catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse that will hurtle across America at about 2,000 miles per hour. It’s a tremendous visual spectacle that everyone from kids on iPhones to NASA’s top scientists will be documenting with photos and video. (For more on what scientists can learn about the sun by photographing an eclipse, read this piece by Vox’s Brian Resnick.)
For the towns and cities along the 70-mile-wide path of totality, which stretches from Oregon to South Carolina, the eclipse has also been a rare opportunity to attract thousands of visitors from around the world. Many communities have planned eclipse festivals, astronomy talks, science education, and special musical events (like Close Encounters of the Symphonic Kind in Casper, Wyoming, for instance) to celebrate.
The towns — as well as the national parks — along the path are also expecting heavy traffic and strains on local infrastructure from the huge crowds flocking to this narrow band of the country.
Here are a few of our favorite images of this very special astronomical event, the likes of which hasn’t been visible from the contiguous United States since 1979. We'll be updating this post throughout the day with images of the eclipse itself as well as the crowds viewing it on the ground.
St. Louis, Missouri
The Gateway Arch in a multiple exposure photograph.
Jeff Roberson/AP
Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Mic Smith/AP
Washington, DC
US Naval Observatory
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Atlanta, Georgia
David Goldman/AP
David Goldman/AP
New York, New York
Liberty Island
Seth Wenig/AP
Michael Noble Jr./AP
Carbondale, Illinois
Saluki Stadium, Southern Illinois University
Scott Olson/Getty Images
National Autonomous University of Mexico
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
National Autonomous University of Mexico
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Share your experience in the path of totality
Did you see the total solar eclipse on August 21? Tell us about how it made you feel, using only six words, on Twitter or Instagram with #VoxEclipseIn6Words.
We might include your response in a story to help people understand what it feels like to see the sun completely obscured by the moon.
New York, New York
Michael Noble Jr./AP
Miami, Florida
The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Golden, Colorado
Colorado School of Mines
Seth McConnell/The Denver Post via Getty Images
New York, New York
Empire State Building
Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
Boston, Massachusetts
Children's Museum
Keith Bedford/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Acton, Massachusetts
Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Washington, DC
US Capitol
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call
Charleston, South Carolina
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Indianapolis, Indiana
Holiday Park
Darron Cummings/AP
New York, New York
Top of the Rock' observatory, Rockefeller Center
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
'Top of the Rock' observatory, Rockefeller Center
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
'Top of the Rock' observatory, Rockefeller Center
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Columbia, South Carolina
Spirit Communications Park
Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Las Vegas, Nevada
Stratosphere hotel and casino
John Locher/AP
Alto Pass, Illinois
Bald Knob Cross of Peace
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Nashville, Tennesse
John Minchillo/AP
Boston, Massachusetts
Children's Museum
Keith Bedford/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Falls City, Nebraska
Nati Harnik/AP
Washington, DC
The White House
Andrew Harnik/AP
Los Angeles, California
California Science Center
Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Washington, DC
The White House
Alex Brandon/AP
Portland, Oregon
Craig Mitchelldyer/AP
Los Angeles, California
Griffith Observatory
Richard Vogel/AP
Jackson, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
George Frey/Getty Images
Charleston, South Carolina
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Los Angeles, California
Griffith Observatory
Richard Vogel/AP
Charleston, South Carolina
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Casper, Wyoming
South Mike Sedar Park
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Jackson, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
George Frey/Getty Images
Salem, Oregon
Don Ryan/AP
Redmond, Oregon
Ted S. Warren/AP
Mitchell, Oregon
Big Summit Prairie ranch, Ochoco National Forest
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Mitchell, Oregon
Big Summit Prairie ranch, Ochoco National Forest
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Ross Lake, Washington
Northern Cascades National Park
Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images
Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images
Salem, Oregon
Andrew Selsky/AP
Don Ryan/AP
Ross Lake, Washington
Northern Cascades National Park
Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images
Washington, DC
Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum
Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
Carbondale, Illinois
Saluki Stadium, Southern Illinois University
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Casper, Wyoming
South Mike Sedar Park
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Jackson, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
George Frey/Getty Images