Passengers on board a London to Miami Virgin Atlantic flight enjoyed a unique view of the first total solar eclipse to sweep across the US in nearly a century.

On Monday, millions of Americans watched day turn to night for a couple of minutes while wearing protective glasses, but few got the chance to witness the once-in-a-lifetime experience above the clouds.

One passenger said: “It made such a difference being at 39,000 feet and seeing it so clearly. It was brilliant.”

The Canadian Space Agency described the initial glimpses of the first total solar eclipse to cross the US, from Oregon to South Carolina, in 99 years as “Beautiful!” as Americans watched in wonder through telescopes, cameras and protective glasses.

US President Donald Trump watched from the Whitehouse alongside First Lady Melania while his daughter Ivanka and rock star Bruce Springsteen were among the excited big names who had tweeted advice that watchers should remember to wear their glasses when looking at the spectacle.

They saw the moon blot out the sun, cause a drop in temperature and turn daylight into twilight. It is expected to be the most observed and most photographed eclipse in history.

Totality, when the sun is completely obscured by the moon, lasted for around two minutes in each location along the narrow corridor stretching across the US heartland to Charleston, South Carolina.

Nasa Moon, NASA’s official Twitter account about Earth’s Moon, said: “HA HA HA I’ve blocked the Sun! Make way for the Moon. #SolarEclipse2017” while Hopkinsville Police in Kentucky, which saw solar enthusiasts descend on the town, tweeted “Please DO NOT call 911 just because your Wi-Fi service is not working.”