Eclipse day arrives in NH and Maine: What time will it happen? What is forecast?
Sunny weather has graced the area, Monday, April 8, ideal viewing conditions for the eclipse. This afternoon, a total eclipse of the sun will appear in the skies above the United States, from southern Texas to northern New Hampshire and northern Maine.
The rare event − where the shadow of the moon plunges a narrow strip of land into darkness in the middle of the day − is an astronomical experience like no other that will be unusually accessible to millions of people.
More: Tiny NH towns brace for eclipse chasers to arrive for 'once-in-a-lifetime event'
Large crowds are visiting northern New Hampshire and Maine, where the path of totality will provided views of the first total solar eclipse since 1959 in the two states. A total solar eclipse will not be visible in this region again until 2079. In Seacoast New Hampshire and Maine, the eclipse will bring about 94%-96% obscuring of the sun, depending on location.
Eclipse glasses demand exceeds supply at Portsmouth library
The phone lines at Portsmouth Public Library were ringing off the hook Monday morning, hours before the total solar eclipse was set to take place.
Celestial-minded callers had a common question, according to library director Christine Friese: Was the library still handing out certified eclipse glasses?
The answer by late Monday morning, was the library is no longer handing out eclipse glasses to the public. The library’s remaining stash will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at its eclipse watch party from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.
“We were averaging about three calls a minute,” Friese joked.
A sign was posted in front the library’s entrance Monday morning informing guests the glasses were no longer available.
Eclipse glasses must be certified by the International Organization for Standardization for use during the event. Proper eclipse glasses will be marked ISO 12312-2, according to Dartmouth Health.
— Ian Lenahan
#TrafficAlert⚠️ Aerial video from the #NHSP Special Enforcement Unit shows drivers heading northbound via I-93 and I-89 are experiencing delays from Hooksett through the Concord area. For real-time traffic updates, visit https://t.co/u9bTeru7p2. #Eclipse#Eclipse2024#trafficpic.twitter.com/PHniACRS0g
— New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) April 8, 2024
Eclipse viewers set up early in sunny Lancaster, NH
Several hours before the eclipse was set to begin, the energy was high in Lancaster, New Hampshire. After weeks of rain and snow, the sun was bright in the sky, with zero clouds impeding its rays. Lancaster is in the part of northern New Hampshire that is in the eclipse's path of totality, meaning the area where the sun will be 100% obscured. And it is attracting visitors from all over.
At 10 a.m., the streets were already full of people and cars. License plates revealed travelers from as far as New Jersey, Virginia and Kentucky.
Shannon Myers sat with family and friends in lawn chairs in front of the Passumpsic Bank in Lancaster. They were from various towns in Massachusetts, and were visiting their home in Bethlehem to be closer to the eclipse. They had set up their station of lawn chairs and blankets at 9 that morning.
“We thought it was gonna be crowded as soon as we got here,” said Myers. “But sounds like they’ve been really friendly. Like, it seems like everyone’s happy that people are in Lancaster.”
While they said they wouldn’t describe themselves as “eclipse chasers," Eric Perryman, said he’d been planning this trip for a couple of years.
“But you never know what the weather’s gonna be like,” he said. “Seems pretty lucky so far!”
— Margie Cullen
Portsmouth NASA ambassador enjoying view in northern NH
Local NASA Solar System Ambassador Tom Cocchiaro, a Portsmouth resident, is witnessing the third total solar eclipse of his lifetime. And for the second time, he’s watching from a spot where the weather is better than predicted.
Cocchiaro is watching the North American eclipse from Pittsburg, New Hampshire, near the Canadian border, with representatives of Plymouth State University, local students and their families, and school staff. Pittburg is in the eclipse's path of totality.
In 2017, he traveled to Greenville, South Carolina to watch that year’s eclipse. Unlike prior forecasts, the sky cleared and the sun shone before the eclipse became visible.
He's getting sunny weather again.
“This is strike two for me where it wasn’t supposed to be good to see the eclipse but it ended up being perfectly sunny skies,” Cocchiaro said in a phone call Monday.
As the moon fully blocks the sun Thursday afternoon from his view in Pittsburg, Cocchiaro noted three planets - Mercury, Venus and Jupiter - may be visible during the peak of the eclipse in Pittsburg, in addition to the so-called “devil comet,” formally known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks.
During the peak of the eclipse in Pittsburg, viewers will be able to briefly remove their eclipse glasses to witness the historic moment of totality, Cocchiaro said..
“Unfortunately, they’ll have to watch with their solar glasses because there won’t be any time in Portsmouth when you’ll be able to take your glasses off,” Cocchiaro said of Portsmouth skygazers.
The first total solar eclipse of Cocchiaro’s life occurred on July 20, 1963 in northern Maine, when he was 9 years old. He and his family were returning from a trip visiting relatives in Prince Edward Island.
It was a moment in time that sparked his lifelong curiosity.
“I was glued to the rear window of our big Buick and to a 2x4 inch piece of welder’s glass we had purchased for $1 at a gas station along the way,” he recounted. “As the eclipse progressed I kept my family updated on progress until the sky started to darken and I yelled to my dad to stop the car… Turning back to the sky I was amazed to see the glowing halo around the moon’s shadow and a sky full of stars. The atmosphere was dead calm and there was no sound, and in the distance, you could see what you might call a 360-degree sunset as the horizon was lit all around. (It was) the most amazing experience in my life to that point.”
— Ian Lenahan
Near perfect weather for eclipse
Hunter Tubbs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, said conditions are close to perfect, aside from a very high level, thin cloud cover possible to the west.
"Overall it looks to be mainly sunny and warm," Tubbs said early Monday morning on the forecasts for northern New Hampshire and Maine. "It can't get much better than what we're expecting. It's likely going to be one of the clearest spots for the path of totality in the country."
What will the eclipse look like in Seacoast New Hampshire and Maine?
Eclipse watch parties April 8: Here's where and when
On April 8, the Portsmouth Public Library is hosting a watch party with eclipse activities and trivia prior to the peak of the eclipse around 3:30 p.m.
“You will have the option of watching the eclipse live from the field beside the library or inside the Levenson Community Room where we will show the NASA live stream on the large screen,” the library’s event description notes.
Two hundred pairs of free eclipse glasses will be available at the event, which lasts from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Registration for the event is not required.
The Dover Public Library is offering a similar watch party to view the partial eclipse outdoors on April 8. The Garrison City is expected to see the moon blocking 95% of the sun during the event.
“Snacks, crafts and music will all be part of the fun, as we view this rare phenomena together. Bring a lawn chair, grab a snack and eclipse glasses, or make a viewfinder, and discover and explore with us,” the library says.
The event at 73 Locust St. will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The lawn in front of the picturesque Thompson Hall clock tower at the University of New Hampshire in Durham is expected to be teeming with students, faculty and staff waiting for the peak of the partial eclipse next Monday.
The school is having its own watch party on the lawn, with certified eclipse glasses designed by a university student available for use during the event. The school’s watch party will also be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
One of the school’s two Wildcat mascots, Wild E. Cat, will pose for photos with guests as the state’s flagship university counts down to the eclipse.
“There won’t be another chance to view a total eclipse like this over North America for decades,” per the university’s event announcement.
Do you know of other eclipse informational sessions and watch parties? Please let us know by emailing Seacoast Media Group at news@seacoastonline.com.
Safety tips during the solar eclipse: Here's what to know
With eclipse watchers turning their eyes to the skies on April 8 to witness celestial history, Dartmouth Health is reminding viewers to keep eye safety a priority during the event.
“It is an exciting and rare event, but observers need to educate themselves about how to protect their eyes,” Michael E. Zegans, MD, section chief of ophthalmology at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, said in a prepared statement Tuesday. “Prolonged sun gazing can result in permanent retinal injury.”
Recommendations to eclipse watchers from the health system include purchasing eclipse glasses or a solar filter to wear during the event, not using any certified glasses or filter that have scratches or damage, and reading all instructions on related products before using.
“Before looking up at the bright sun, stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer,” Dartmouth Health adds. “After glancing at the sun, turn away and remove your glasses or viewer — do not remove them while looking at the sun.”
The Planetary Society reports that solar eclipse glasses are made with black polymer lenses that are approximately 100,000 times darker than regular sunglasses, helping to block nearly all visible light, in addition to infrared and ultraviolet light.
The International Organization for Standardization certifies proper eclipse glasses, which are then labeled ISO 12312-2, Dartmouth Health added.
Is it safe to drive during the solar eclipse?
The 2024 solar eclipse will shroud much of the United States in darkness on Monday, leaving many people to wonder: Is it safe to drive during the solar eclipse?
It is safe to drive during an eclipse as long as you don't look up at the sky. AAA is telling drivers to be focused on the road if they are operating a car during the total solar eclipse. But the automobile insurance company is advising Americans who want to safely view the total eclipse to "find a safe place to park (not on the side of a road or highway) away from other traffic and then wear your eclipse glasses," said Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman from AAA.
When is the solar eclipse?
Learn more: What is the path of totality for the total solar eclipse? Follow as it crosses the US.
How do I know solar eclipse glasses are safe? How can I view the eclipse safely without glasses?
If you buy or are given eclipse glasses, be sure they are made by companies the American Astronomical Society has certified as safe.
NASA does not certify glasses, so be wary of any manufacturers claiming that to have the space agency's approval.
Eclipse glasses should all have the "ISO" (International Organization for Standardization) icon. The glasses also must have the ISO reference number 12312-2.
If you cannot find certified glasses, there are other ways to view the eclipse, including with a shadow box you can make yourself. Whatever you do, don't look at the sun without proper protection.
Learn more: What happens if you look at a solar eclipse? A viewing guide for this year's sky show.
How does an eclipse work? How often do eclipses occur? Where can I learn more about the science?
A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," when observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, confuses animals – nocturnal creatures stir, and bird and insects fall silent.Learn more: A total solar eclipse will cross the US in April: Here's where and when to see it
Lea en Español: El eclipse solar total cruzará EE. UU. en Abril: dónde y cuándo verl
Reporting by Ian Lenahan, Margie Cullen and material from USA TODAY is used in this report.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Eclipse day arrives in NH and Maine: What time will it happen?
