A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is at least the same size as the Sun's or larger, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness.

Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with a partial solar eclipse visible over the surrounding region thousands of kilometres wide.

[2] Astronomer Charles H. Smiley observed the eclipse from a U.S. Air Force F-104D Starfighter supersonic aircraft that was "racing the Moon's shadow" at 1,300 mph (2,100 km/h) extending the duration of totality to 4 minutes 3 seconds.

[4] Scientists from the Dominion Observatory, University of Oxford, National Research Council Canada and University of Saskatchewan flew a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft to observe the total eclipse at 30,000 feet (9,100 m) above the Great Slave Lake area.

On July 20, thin clouds in the Great Slave Lake area expanded to an altitude of 40,000 feet (12,000 m), so no results were got from optical observations, but the instruments installed on the aircraft still recorded data.

In addition, wind speeds of nearly 100 knots (190 km/h; 120 mph) also caused the aircraft to enter the Moon's umbra one minute ahead of schedule, west of the planned location.

[5] In addition, scientists from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada also made radio observations in Grand-Mère, Quebec.

[8] This particular eclipse event plays an important part in two of Stephen King's novels, Gerald's Game (1992) and Dolores Claiborne (1992).

The eclipse is mentioned in passing in John Updike' s novel Couples (1968) in relation to Piet and Foxy.