Incredible shots of Montreal's solar eclipse that will blow you away all over again

So, did you see it? Yes, the solar eclipse... what else could we possibly be talking about besides that moment when the moon completely covered the sun, leaving us in total darkness in the middle of the afternoon?! Remember that?

After years of build up (the last total solar eclipse visible from Montreal was in 1932) and weeks of scrambling to find a place with protective glasses still in stock, we finally got to witness the celestial event of our lifetimes — and, wow, was it ever breathtaking.

Thanks to clean and clear skies on a warm, sunny day, Quebec wound up with some of the best eclipse-viewing weather in North America.

In case you missed it, or if you simply want to relive the awe-inspiring spectacle, we've rounded up some of the best photos and videos taken of the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse in Montreal.

In Greater Montreal, the sky darkened as expected around 3:27 p.m., lasting about a minute and a half. You can see what that looked like in Longueuil by watching the above video from Narcity Québec journalist Josianne Desjardins.

As this happened, "the poor morning birds were so confused they started chirping again," @saucyfacelipco reported on Instagram.

Freelance creative @normanclickbaits got some amazing shots, not only of the eclipse itself, but also of Montrealers out and about in public parks and on city streets, peering through their glasses with wonder.

But Montrealers didn't just gather in parks. This photo from Duc de Lorraine shows a crowd huddled by the pâtisserie-bistro in the dark, as the eclipse shines overhead. Though not pictured, the group would also get a view of the nearby St. Joseph's Oratory from this vantage point.

Witnessing the eclipse hovering above Montreal landmarks seems all the more special, particularly in these images taken downtown, at the Olympic Park, in the Old Port and at Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Montrealers managed to snap the eclipse as it progressed, moving from one stage to another. They also caught it with different lenses, showcasing it from varying distances and perspectives.

This photo of Laval's partial eclipse was taken with the help of a drone, resulting in one of the coolest shots we've seen.

Laval's partial eclipse by drone.Jean-François Vermette | VuDuCiel

However, @jimbomtl2 gets the award for luckiest timing, forever freezing the moment that an airplane flew past the glistening eclipse.

"Completely amazed [...] This is basically as it was - no real edits here," wrote insurance director, speaker, financial writer and photographer Mila Araujo of the stunning picture she captured with a Nikon Z 6II.

Reading captions that express how mind-blown people were and how much joy they were feeling before, during and after the eclipse is almost as uplifting as the eclipse itself.

The Instagram posts below contain captions, such as: "So we can remember this incredible moment for the rest of our lives [...] the eclipse of the century" (@bertexertier) and "Seeing so much beauty only made us cry, the sublimity of nature, sunrise and sunset, sun and moon, all in one moment. A dance, a song, a painting, a picture, everything beautiful in one minute and 25 seconds [...] Thank you universe for such a wonderful gift" (@saramariart).

Just listen to these cheers!

Luckily, you don't necessarily have to wait until 2205 to see another total eclipse in Montreal. With stellar videos like this one posted to X by @bulkrequest, you can experience the magic of Monday afternoon as many times as you can push the replay button.