The sun rises behind the Solar Temple at Big Summit Prairie ranch in Oregon's Ochoco National Forest near the city of Mitchell ahead of the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Skygazers across the United States awoke in excited anticipation Monday of witnessing the Sun briefly disappear, with the first total solar eclipse in 99 years to cast a shadow on the entire continent just hours away (Photo: AFP)
Sky-watchers in the US West Coast state of Oregon on Monday started to see the partial phase of what is being billed as the Great American Eclipse, with "totality" -- when the Moon blocks out light from the Sun -- soon to follow.
At about 1605 GMT, eclipse fans in Lincoln Beach, Oregon were the first to be able to witness the phenomenon -- the first time in nearly a century that a total solar eclipse will move across the United States from coast to coast.
Totality will begin at 1716 GMT over Oregon and end roughly 90 minutes later at 1848 GMT over Charleston, South Carolina.
The path of totality is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) wide and will pass through 14 states.
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