Total solar eclipse and sunspots. This partial phase of the eclipse is after totality, with a group (active region) of sunspots (AR2671) seen on the solar disc. Total solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun. Total solar eclipses usually occur less than once a year, and can only be seen from a small area of the Earth's surface. This total solar eclipse was observed from the USA on 21 August 2017. Totality lasted for just over 2.5 minutes. The time from first contact to last contact was just over 3 hours. Photographed from Idaho.