by Edward Herrick-Gleason
Yesterday a few subscribers responded to the Solar Eclipse # 4 article pertaining to the April 8, 2024 eclipse’s totality path. They wanted more specific information related to Maine: the communities in the actual path and the associated timelines.
We’ll begin with a totality path specific to the state:
This graphic, compliments of Eclipse2017.org, labels the larger towns within the totality path. For a full listing of all communities within the total eclipse viewing area, please refer to this web-site:
https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/total/me
We can see that though the path will slice a thick swath through Maine, it will completely miss Southern Maine.* On the other hand, one will be able to observe this event from Mt. Katahdin, and from the many western mountain peaks: prime viewing locations. Of course, any location within the totality path will suffice, provided the weather remains clement. There’s the rub. Based on average cloud cover percentages, the outlook isn’t exactly favorable.
The above chart–which we did feature in an earlier post–shows the average cloud cover for locations along the totality path. Note that all Maine locations are located above 0.7 (or 70% cloud cover). Mind you, the skies could be as crisp and clear as the Olympian firmament that date. However, many eclipse watchers might prefer to descend latitudes toward more statistically favorable regions.
WHEN TO SEE IT
Solar eclipses abide by strict schedules which are quite location dependent, even within a relatively small region. We’ll illustrate this concept by listing the times for three different Maine locations within the totality path: Presque Isle, Jackman and Clayton Lake.
PRESQUE ISLE
2:22:14 p.m. PARTIAL ECLIPSE BEGINS [The moon first touches the Sun.]
3:3208 p.m. TOTALITY BEGINS [The moon completely covers the Sun.]
3:33:33 p.m. MAXIMUM ECLIPSE [The precise moment when the center of the moon is as close as it will be to the center of the moon]
3:34:58 p.m. TOTALITY ENDS [The moon starts to move away from the Sun. The first sliver of sunlight becomes visible.]
4:40:45 p.m. PARTIAL ECLIPSE ENDS [The moon completely moves away from the Sun.]
TOTALITY DURATION: 2 minutes, 50 seconds
JACKMAN
2:18:53 p.m. PARTIAL ECLIPSE BEGINS
3:29:29 p.m. TOTALITY BEGINS
3:31:13 p.m. MAXIMUM ECLIPSE
3:32:56 p.m. TOTALITY ENDS
4:39:29 p.m. PARTIAL ECLIPSE ENDS
TOTALITY DURATION: 3 minutes, 27 seconds
CLAYTON LAKE
2:20:20 p.m. PARTIAL ECLIPSE BEGINS
3:31:17 p.m. TOTALITY BEGINS
3:32:02 p.m. MAXIMUM ECLIPSE
3:32:46 p.m. TOTALITY ENDS
4:39:43 p.m. PARTIAL ECLIPSE ENDS
TOTALITY DURATION: 1 minute, 29 seconds
Notice that the totality duration is brief and varies considerably with distance relative to the central eclipse line. Totality lasts more than twice as long in Jackman as it does in Clayton Lake. The former community is located at this central line, while the former is located along the totality path’s outer edge. No matter where you travel within the totality path, be sure to watch the eclipse from a position as close to this central line as possible.
Lastly, if you intend to visit Maine to see this eclipse and will be in need of accommodation, we strongly encourage you to make arrangements as soon as possible. Most hotels, motels and Air B+B’s will likely be booked well before the eclipse date.
In the next installment, we’ll start to learn how to read eclipse charts and diagrams.
*If it’s any consolation at all, southern Maine residents will see the next total solar eclipse visible in Maine. That eclipse will occur on May 1, 2079.
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