THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
70 Falmouth Street      Portland, Maine 04103
(207) 780-4249      usm.maine.edu/planet
43.6667° N    70.2667° W
Founded January 1970
2022-2023: XVII
Sunrise: 6:27 a.m.
Sunset: 6:40 p.m.
Civil twilight ends: 7:09 p.m.
Sun's host constellation: Virgo the Maiden
Moon phase: Waning crescent (16% illuminated)
Moonrise: 2:38a.m. (9/22/2022)
Moonset: 5:41 p.m. (9/22/2022)
Julian date: 2459844.16
"It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it."
-Steven Wright


THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Solar Eclipse 2024 # 5: In Reference to Maine

________________________________________
*566 DAYS UNTIL THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE*
*ON APRIL 8, 2024!*
_________________________________________


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. Heavens above, we're not quite sure why
people are so eager for such information. After all, according to most
Americans, nobody actually lives there. All the same, we are more than
happy to oblige.

We'll begin with a totality path specific to the state:

[image: ME_web.jpg]

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.

[image: Noam-centre-cloud.png]
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

[image: unnamed.gif]


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