People across parts of the West watch a rare solar eclipse in which more than 90% of the sun is obscured by the moon, the BBC reports. The event draws major attention because it is described as the most significant eclipse in the region since the total eclipse in 1999.
All sources presented here describe the eclipse in similar terms: the moon covers an unusually large portion of the sun, making it a “near-total” spectacle for viewers rather than a partial one. The BBC frames it as historic because this degree of obscuration does not occur often, and it comes after a long gap since the previous comparable total eclipse. Yahoo also headlines coverage of how the West watched the eclipse, reinforcing the focus on widespread viewing and the event’s rarity.
