13 outstanding photos of the solar eclipse on Instagram

REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

For the first time in decades, a full or partial eclipse could be seen over much of North America on Monday.

Normally, taking photos of the sun is impossible without specialized equipment. But when it's blocked by the moon, photography with everyday cameras and phones is possible — though still tricky to accomplish.

With the #eclipse hashtag on Instagram, you can see millions of eclipse photos — some of which are outstanding.

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Some people made composite images from the eclipse's different phases.

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One of the coolest parts of the eclipse are the dappled crescent shadows.

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If you took a picture, you may have seen a blue lens flare.

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 If you're in North America and missed this year's eclipse, don't sweat too much. The next one is in April 2024. Sure, that sounds like a long time, but it's not as far off as the last one — way back in February 1979.

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