The Solar Eclipse: Highlights From Its Path Across the United States<br />— Nicholas St. Fleur and Dennis Overbye<br />In Washington, where the sun was about 80 percent obscured by the moon, President Trump, Melania Trump<br />and their son, Barron Trump, took in the scene from the Truman Balcony just after 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.<br />“Go away, clouds,” people chanted briefly as totality approached with the sun mostly obscured by a storm cloud.<br />“We’re all excited to be here right now — as long as<br />that doesn’t happen,” she said as she was interrupted by the first of many giant clouds to shroud the stadium.<br />• A total solar eclipse made contact in Oregon just after 1:15 p.m. Eastern time on Monday,<br />darkening skies as the moon obscured the sun and cast a long shadow across Earth.<br />• In Washington, where the sun was about 80 percent obscured, President Trump<br />and the first lady, Melania Trump, took in the partial eclipse at the White House.<br />They hooted and hollered as the moon slowly worked its way across the sun — a sight that, with glasses, was visible through the clouds.<br />In the football stadium at Southern Illinois University, gigantic, cotton-candy clouds<br />seemingly appeared out of nowhere to block the sun just one hour before totality.
