The best photos and videos of the April 8 total solar eclipse over North America

Today (April 8), a total solar eclipse drew its enormous shadow over North America, cutting a 115-mile-wide (185 kilometers), 10,000-mile-long (16,000 km) path of sudden darkness across the continent.

Starting in Mexico, the eclipse moved through 15 U.S. states and was visible to 44 million people.  If you didn't catch the stunning spectacle in person, here are all of our favorite photos taken from eclipse watching parties throughout the Americas.

Related: Watch live! The total solar eclipse has begun over North America. 

The first totality began in Mazatlán, Mexico, where onlookers saw the moon pass in front of the solar disc. Just before totality, viewers were treated to a thin diamond-like ring of sunlight shimmering through valleys on the moon's outer surface.

After the moon had completely blocked off the sun's face, all that could be seen were thin purple plumes in the corona caused by solar eruptions.

Meanwhile, the moon began to carve the sun into a toenail-thin slither above Fort Worth, Texas.

Then, just before totality, the diamond ring effect could be seen. As the final beads of sunlight zip through the valleys on the moon's limb, the two bodies appeared in the sky as a ring studded with brilliant diamonds.