Will Grant
Reporting from Mexico City

Mexico City is forecast to experience less than 80% of totality, but that hasn't stopped schools in the area from using the opportunity to make a practical astronomy lesson out of it.

Schools have even allowed children to stay at home, so they can enjoy the experience with their families.

Mexico's ancient peoples - the Aztec and Maya - were famed astronomers, and were even capable of predicting eclipses themselves.

If you are not one of the lucky people who can go outside and (safely, use those eclipse glasses) stare up at the sky, we have you covered.

You can watch our live coverage of the solar eclipse as the shadow streaks across North America.

Just hit the play button at the top of this page.

Rebecca Morelle
Science editor

Image source, Getty Images

I can’t emphasise just how dangerous it is to look at the Sun’s glare with no protection.

The light not only sets off damaging chemical reactions in the light-sensitive cells at the back of your eyes, in the retinas, the heat that accompanies the light can also induce unwanted thermal changes. You’re literally cooking those tissues.

And here’s the thing: you probably won’t feel any pain at the time because there are no pain receptors back there in the retinas.

Even limited exposure can result in degraded vision. Don’t risk it. Use only approved solar eclipse googles, or projection methods such as a pinhole camera. Astronomy clubs may have access to a special solar telescope. This is fine also.

The only time you can look at an eclipse safely is in those few minutes of totality.

Image source, Getty Images

It depends on where you are.

According to Nasa, the total solar eclipse will span anywhere from one minute to four and a half minutes.

For people in the US, it will be the longest at Radar Base, Texas, right on the US-Mexico border, where it will last a total of 4 minutes and 27 seconds.

In Canada, the total solar eclipse will be the longest in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where it will last 3 minutes and 26 seconds.

Regan Morris
Reporting from Los Angeles

Image source, Regan Morris/ BBC News

It’s sunny and perfect weather in Southern California for the eclipse. But many schools in Los Angeles are opting to keep children inside on an “inclement weather schedule” to protect childrens' eyes.

This has upset some parents and children.

“Eclipses are NOT DANGEROUS,” one parent wrote on a Facebook group as dozens chimed in, many wishing schools would embrace the eclipse and distribute protective glasses instead.

Los Angeles will get a partial view of the phenomenon, with about 48% of the sun obscured by the moon. Public libraries are hosting viewing parties and distributing safety glasses and so are some schools.

The LA Unified School District said schools may participate in eclipse viewing if safety procedures are followed but they recommend that “inclement weather procedures” are followed, which entails keeping children inside during class, lunch and recess.

Many parents – including this writer - sent their children to school with safety glasses from Nasa hoping they could get a glimpse between classes.

Emma Vardy
Reporting from Dallas, Texas

Image source, Emma Vardy/ The BBC

A ripple of excitement and a few cheers are let out each time the clouds momentarily pass here in Dallas.

We can see glimpses of sun between the downtown sky scrapers, as city eclipse watchers are gathering.

Some have brought telescopes taking a scientific approach, others are embracing the party atmosphere with cocktails.

Whatever view we get, there is a sense that being plunged into darkness in the middle of the day is going to be weird, surreal, and worthy of a few selfies in eclipse glasses at least.

The partial eclipse will become a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan over the next 45 minutes.

Then, during the next two hours, the rare phenomenon will carve a path over Mexico, 13 US states and Canada. Stay with us as we bring you all the latest updates.

And you can watch live by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

Image source, Reuters

We're seeing the eclipse for the first time, as the Moon obscures the Sun over Mexico.

You can watch a live video of the eclipse at the top of this page by pressing the play button.

Will Grant
Reporting from Mexico City, Mexico

Image source, Getty Images

A partial eclipse has begun in Mexico, and in about an hour, Mazatlán will be seeing the eclipse at its peak - full totality.

There is something quite poetic and romantic about Mexico being the first place where the total eclipse will be visible as it sweeps across North America.

This is a country whose ancestors were among the great sky-watching societies of the past, the ancient Maya and the Aztec informing much of their belief systems and religious practices from the stars.

There is ample evidence they knew about and could predict eclipses.

However, they were generally viewed as a sign of something terrible, of a clash between warring gods. The rituals to protect the people from the cataclysm in the skies included, in the case of the Aztecs, human sacrifice and the shedding of blood to restore balance.

There are few such fears today, however.

In fact, probably the biggest difficulty will be finding the special protective glasses needed to watch it safely - so many places have sold out.

Schools across the country are seeing this as an opportunity to provide a very practical astronomy lesson from the safety of the playground while others are taking their pupils to observatories and university campuses to watch it unfold.

Other schools have told parents that children can stay at home for the day if they wish to see the eclipse together as a family.

A special moment in Mexico, and one with a real connection of the ancient civilisations upon which modern Mexico was built.

Brandon Drenon
Reporting from Washington DC

Image source, Sean King

Officials in Austin, Texas - a place where the unofficial city slogan is "keep it weird" - have been bracing for the possibility of solar-eclipse induced pandemonium for days.

On Friday, a judge in the state issued a disaster declaration for the county encompassing Austin - which lies directly in the path of totality.

The declaration requires residents hosting private watch parties with more than 50 people to fill out an online form, notifying the county.

Officials are seeking to control the chaos amid estimations that the town's population could increase by anywhere from 100,000 to one million people.

"Traffic has been crazy all weekend," Haley Ng, an Austin resident, told the BBC.

"There are signs on the highway saying 'no parking for the eclipse,'" she said.

"People who couldn't get hotels are sleeping in their cars."

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from Niagara Falls, New York State

We're still hours away from the moment of totality at Niagara Falls, but already Robert Wiltshire and David Blazina experienced a life-changing moment.

The New York City residents chose to get married on what they deemed the "perfect day" with their immediate family in tow.

They said they decided to push back their big day one week so it could coincide with this cosmic event.

"It makes it extra special and very memorable," Robert said.

"People will ask where were you on your wedding day and you can say at Niagara Falls for the solar eclipse."

Take a look at this map, shared by travel data firm AirDNA, and compare it to the map we posted earlier, showing the eclipse's path of totality.

As you can see - bookings for accommodation totally boomed right along that line.

Airbnb listings have seen occupancy levels skyrocket to nearly 90%, the vacation rental company said.

Image source, AirDNA

Image source, .

With just a few hours to go until the eclipse can be seen in Mexico, then the US and finally Canada, here is a map that shows exactly where the path of totality will be.

If the sky is clear enough - you should be able to see the full eclipse if you're on that path of totality - which is 115 miles (183km) wide on average. Some major cities along it include Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Buffalo.

Niagara Falls will also be a great spot to catch the total solar eclipse, whether you're on the Canadian or American side.

For Canadians, the path of totality includes Hamilton, Ontario, Montreal, Quebec, and Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.

People around those cities will still be able to see the solar eclipse, albeit a partial one, and the percentage of the Sun covered by the Moon's shadow will depend on where you are.

Mike Wendling
Reporting from Indiana

Things were not looking promising when I rolled into a very soggy Indianapolis late last night.

But this morning has defied some of the more pessimistic forecasts with blue skies and plenty of sunshine.

Thousands of people are gathering for a Nasa event here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - and we are all hoping the good weather continues.

We’ll be treated to a race car exhibition - the power of humanity versus the power of nature, I guess - and a host of scientific displays and talks before the main event kicks off in the afternoon.

Totality starts just after 15:00 ET (20:00 BST).

Sabrina Lee
BBC Wales weather presenter, reporting from Honey Grove, Texas

I'm travelling within Texas to view the eclipse. There are concerns about long traffic delays - we woke up at 05:15 to get in position! Several of us in the group are meteorologists so we've been keeping a close eye on the forecast.

My group are travelling north-east to try to avoid low clouds.

So far the roads haven't been too busy but we do expect long delays after the eclipse and so we've stocked up on food and charge for the electric car.

Lots of the locals we've spoken to are excited and there are people that have travelled from many other countries to get a glimpse of this rare astronomical event that impacts so many people.

Jonathan O'Callaghan
Features correspondent

Right about now, two Nasa WB-57 planes will take off near Houston, Texas and fly to Mexico.

Each aircraft will be about 8km from each other (5 miles) and fly at 740 km/h (460mph).

That's a lot slower than the eclipse’s speed (about 2,500 km/h), but enough to give the planes more time in totality than would be possible on the ground as they race the shadow.

"It's extremely exciting," says Nasa pilot Tony Casey.

"I'm so excited to be able to fly this mission. I'm looking forward to just the experience of being there in this moment and the shadow overtaking you.”

Casey will operate a camera and telescope system which to take images of the Sun in infrared and visible light, helping to study its atmosphere – its corona – as it dances around the Moon. Casey will also look for asteroids that might be visible near the Sun.

You can read more about the mission here.

If you are not one of the lucky people who can go outside and (safely, use those eclipse glasses) stare up at the sky, we have you covered.

You can watch our live coverage of the solar eclipse as the shadow streaks across North America.

Just hit the play button at the top of this page.

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC weather

Image source, Reuters

Not everywhere is going to have crystal clear skies today - sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Crowds have been flocking to Texas, but with a southerly wind dragging in moisture from the Gulf not only will there a lot cloud obscuring the sun but there could also be some particularly severe weather developing around and after the time of the eclipse.

The US National Weather Service is warning of thunderstorms, tornadoes, large hail and strong gusty winds. This will hamper not only the event itself but also travel afterwards for eclipse chasers.

Less severe but still annoying for the hopeful will be the chance of rain and clouds for Ohio, NW Pennsylvania and and western New York State.

In Canada, eastern Ontario and Newfoundland could also be buried underneath low cloud with added snow showers for fun in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Mexico, Northern Coahuila may well see some disappointed sky-gazers too. It's worth saying that a lot of cloud cover, particularly high cloud, comes with the caveat that it may thin out and break at times and you could still get lucky!

The best places to view the eclipse are shaping up to be in northern New England, including Maine, north Arkansas into central Indiana, though there is a possibility of high cloud here that could melt away.

In Canada, east Quebec and New Brunswick will offer the best visibility, while in Mexico, Mazatlán through to Torreón and Durango fall in the path of totality.