Maine may just luck out this weekend, with fair conditions expected for viewing the partial solar eclipse that will cross over the state on Saturday.
Nice weather will continue through the weekend, with quiet conditions expected for much of next week as well.
Winds on Friday will be gusty, reaching up to 30-35 mph during the afternoon. This will make the day feel cool, but skies will remain mostly sunny throughout the day. Temperatures will feel like the high 50s.
So far, the forecast is looking promising for Saturday’s solar eclipse. A few clouds may dot the sky, but the sun is expected to be visible enough to allow for eclipse viewing.
Temperatures are also expected to be a bit higher tomorrow, with highs in the low 60s.
To help plan your eclipse viewing, check out this online map that integrates precise geographic locations with eclipse duration and time details, as well as potential cloud cover and light pollution information.
You will need eclipse glasses to see the partial eclipse.
Partial eclipses happen when the moon is at its furthest point from us and then passes between Earth and the sun. At that time, the moon appears smaller than the sun and does not completely cover the star. Only about 16 percent of the sun will be covered when the eclipse is viewable in southern Maine, but it will still make for an impressive sight.
In April 2024, when the moon gets between us and the sun, it will be closer to the Earth, thus appearing large enough to block the sun altogether.
For watching Saturday’s annular eclipse, it’s important to never look directly at the sun without proper solar viewing glasses, often known as eclipse glasses. They are thousands of times darker than your typical shades and comply with international safety standards.
The University of Maine’s Versant Power Astronomy Center will also host a viewing event at 11:30 a.m. culminating with public ganders of the eclipse through the Clark Telescope.
If you can’t get eclipse glasses, you can always use the indirect viewing method. That involves punching a small hole in a piece of cardboard and looking at the sun’s projected image as light pours through the tiny hole, hitting some dark surface.
WGME staff and BDN writer Leela Stockley contributed to this report.