With 2017 coming to an end, it’s time to look back on the year in pictures. There were dozens of photos taken in the past 12 months that prove the old cliché — a picture is worth a thousand words.
Smartphones give almost everyone an opportunity to take photos, but not everyone can be a great photographer. It takes skill to get the perfect image of a solar eclipse or to capture a dramatic moment of hurricane survivors making it to safety.
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This year saw protests, a presidential inauguration, war, a volcano explode, hurricanes leave a path of destruction, amazing performances from musicians, a rare solar eclipse, statues taken down, babies born, families getting together and so much more.
Let’s take a look at 10 incredible images that captured some of the biggest moments of 2017.
Photo credit: Getty/Yana Paskova / Stringer
Total Solar Eclipse
On Aug. 21, the U.S. united to watch the “Great American Eclipse.” It was the first time a solar eclipse was visible across the entire contiguous U.S. since 1918 and the first time a total eclipse was visible anywhere in the mainland U.S. since 1979. People from all over the country rushed to cities, towns and tiny communities in the 14 states along the path of totality.
Volcano Eruption in Mexico
On Jan. 18, the Volcán de Colima in Mexico erupted. It is one of the most active volcanoes in North America and stands 12,595 feet.
Hurricane Maria Damage in Puerto Rico
In September, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. The U.S. commonwealth is still slowly recovering from the hurricane. The New York Times reported that 64 deaths have officially been blamed on the hurricane. However, the actual death toll could top 1,052. Parts of the island are still without power.
Charlottesville Protests
On Aug. 12, members of the Alt-Right, White supremacists and neo-Navis gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Counter-protesters also arrived, and the “Unite The Right” rally was cancelled. A vehicle driven by a man linked to one of the White supermacist groups plowed through the crowd, killing one person and injuring 19 others. The statue remains standings but covered by a tarp.
California Wildfires
The dramatic photo below was taken on July 8 in Oroville, California. The state is still fighting wildfires, with hundreds of thousands displaced in Southern California. You can see other dramatic photos of the fires here.
President Trump’s Inauguration
President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2017. He’s the first person never to hold elective office or serve in the military before becoming president. Every surviving president except for President George H.W. Bush attended. Trump’s rival in the November election, Hillary Clinton, was also there.
Mexico City Earthquake
On Sept. 19, Mexico City was shaken by a 7.1 earthquake, leaving 370 dead. It happened on the 32nd anniversary of the 1985 earthquake, which killed 10,000 people. Some of the most dramatic photos from the earthquake showed an elementary school that collapsed. Twenty-two bodies were found in the debris the day after the earthquake, CNN reported.
Hurricane Harvey Baby Rescue
This photo shows Shardea Harrison and her three-week-old baby Sarai after they were rescued by Dean Mize and Jason Legnon during Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 28. The storm made landfall just north of Corpus Christi and moved north through Texas, causing historic flooding in Houston. Texas officials said the hurricane was responsible for at least 82 deaths.
Escaping the Las Vegas Shooting
On Oct. 1, Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, killing 58 people before killing himself. Over 500 others were injured. The gunman fired from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay, across the street from the festival venue. In the days after the shooting, stories of heroism began to emerge. This photo shows three people running for cover from the scene.
Supermoon
While the Supermoon is not that rare an event – and nowhere near as rare as a total solar eclipse — it still results in breathtaking photos. This photo was tweeted by NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, who is one the International Space Station. “The #supermoon rising over Mongolia. Good night from @Space_Station,” he wrote.
