Solar eclipse in New York City was only partial, due to its distance from the strip of total darkness that crossed the United States. Thousands of people gathered on the Great Lawn of Central Park, the esplanade that hosts concerts and other mass events.
Although the venue was not full - just over half capacity, as it was a weekday and many had not yet finished their chores - an anxious crowd shouted, applauded and even cheered the disappearance of the sun under the imposing shadow of the moon. The protective glasses, distributed free of charge at stations and the city's library network since March 29, had been sold out.