After crossing the country from Texas, the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse exits after passing across Maine. There are a couple of travel destinations to visit for a slim chance of seeing the eclipse. But these places are great for a weekend getaway, so the eclipse might be an excuse for an early spring adventure.
Historically, Maine has a high chance of clouds in early April. Daytime highs only reach the upper 40s, and overnight lows dip into the lower 30s. Winter weather is likely until about mid-April.
An international airport about 30 miles north of the eclipse’s centerline makes it easy to fly into Maine. But there are no Amtrak stations and only a single interstate highway for driving.
Table of Contents
- What is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?
- How to Safely View a Total Solar Eclipse
- How to Choose a Viewing Location
- Essential Eclipse Articles
- Map of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
- Best Place to See the Eclipse in Maine
- Alternate Places to See the Eclipse in Maine
- How to Get to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Maine
- Things to Pack for Eclipse Day
What is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the sunlight and casting a shadow on the Earth. As the Earth, Moon, and Sun continue to move, the shadow sweeps across the Earth – called the Path of Totality.
Anyone in the Path of Totality experiences the eerie wonderment of Totality. Totality is the longest on the centerline of the eclipse. And for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, it’s the longest in southwest Texas.
The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse is on Monday, April 8. The partial eclipse will last from 2:21 until 4:40 p.m. (EDT). Totality will start at about 3:31 p.m. (EDT) and last up to 3 minutes and 22 seconds.
How to Safely View a Total Solar Eclipse
The only time it’s safe to look at the Sun during a total solar eclipse is during Totality, when the Moon completely blocks the sunlight. But it’s critical to wear solar eclipse glasses or use solar filters while looking at the partial eclipse before and after Totality. These specially designed glasses and filters comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard, allowing only 0.0032% of light to pass through.
During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, the American Astronomical Society found that Amazon was flooded with counterfeit solar eclipse glasses claiming to be compliant. The AAS compiled a list of verified suppliers of safe and compliant solar eclipse glasses to combat the dangerously fake glasses.
All my recommendations for solar eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, and solar telescopes below are made by suppliers verified by the American Astronomical Society.
Here are a few options for certified solar eclipse glasses:
- American Paper Optics Eclipser HD Glasses are stylish and sturdy for long uses.
- Rainbow Symphony offers a variety of options like Solar Eclipse Glasses, Wrap-Around Goggles, and Clip-On Solar Eclipse Glasses.
- You can buy cardboard framed glasses from American Paper Optics or Rainbow Symphony in a pinch.
Read More: Solar Eclipse Glasses, Binoculars, and Camera Filters for Safely Viewing a Total Solar Eclipse
How to Choose a Viewing Location
Photographers, scientists, and avid eclipse chasers will flock to southwest Texas to see the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. That’s because they are looking for the slightest chance of clouds, the longest duration of totality, and the easiest travel logistics. Their sole purpose for traveling is to view the eclipse. But they will see nothing if it’s cloudy on Eclipse Day.
That’s why I think you should use the eclipse as an excuse to travel and not just travel for the eclipse.
Instead of choosing a place based on the best eclipse conditions, choose an exciting travel destination that gives you something to do over the preceding weekend.
Here’s what I recommend you consider when choosing a viewing location:
- Travel destination. Does the place you want to visit have things to do, like local shopping, outdoor recreation, and great places to eat? If the destination has a tourism office, you’ll likely find things to do.
- Historical cloudiness and weather. AccuWeather says places in southwest Texas have the slightest chance of clouds in early April. The further north along the Path of Totality, the greater the chance of clouds. Places northeast of Illinois have the highest chance of clouds.
- Duration of Totality. The duration is longest along the Centerline in Texas. However, it’s only a minute shorter – and almost 3.5 minutes long – along the Centerline in Maine.
- Travel logistics. Fortunately, it’s remarkably easy to travel to almost any place in the Path of Totality.
Read More: How to Plan a Trip to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Essential Eclipse Articles
Browse these essential eclipse articles to learn more about planning a trip to see the eclipse, solar eclipse glasses and other things to pack, and how to find lodging for the eclipse.
Map of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
How to use this map | Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the (very faint) star at the end of the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
Best Place to See the Eclipse in Maine
Note About Eclipse Times
Times and durations can vary widely. For precise times while choosing a viewing location, use Xavier Jubier’s Interactive Map. On Eclipse Day, use the Solar Eclipse Timer app for precise times based on your location.
This list is in order by Start of Totality.
Millinocket, ME
Partial Eclipse: 2:20 to 4:40 p.m. (EDT)
Start of Totality: 3:32:06 p.m. (EDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 18 seconds
Millinocket is a charming small town near the base of Mount Katahdin, the highest point in Maine and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Instead of horseback riding or ATV trails, Millinocket has snowmobiling trails – a popular winter activity in the region. There are a few local restaurants and shops to visit when you’re not relaxing at a rental property with spectacular mountain views.
Alternate Places to See the Eclipse in Maine
This list is in order by Start of Totality.
Note About Eclipse Times
Times and durations can vary widely. For precise times while choosing a viewing location, use Xavier Jubier’s Interactive Map. On Eclipse Day, use the Solar Eclipse Timer app for precise times based on your location.
How to Get to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Maine
Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) is the only airport with passenger service in Maine. It’s just outside Caribou near the Canadian border, about a two-hour drive from Millinocket.
Interstate 95, the “Great Eastern Highway,” is the only interstate in Maine. Fortunately, it passes near Millinocket to make driving easy.
Things to Pack for Eclipse Day
Neatly folding your clothes into packing cubes and grabbing your travel tech bag is a good start to packing for any trip. But packing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse isn’t like packing for a typical weekend getaway. It’s more like going to an outdoor concert that requires safety equipment.
Here are my suggestions for essential safety gear, chairs, power banks, outdoor games, and apps for seeing a total solar eclipse.
There are only 3 essential things to pack for a solar eclipse:
- ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses. American Paper Optics Eclipser HD Glasses are stylish and sturdy for long uses. Rainbow Symphony offers a variety of options like Solar Eclipse Glasses, Wrap-Around Goggles, and Clip-On Solar Eclipse Glasses. You can buy cardboard framed glasses from American Paper Optics or Rainbow Symphony in a pinch.
- The Solar Eclipse Timer. The Solar Eclipse Timer app for iOS and Android provides audible notifications and countdowns to the key moments of the total solar eclipse.
- A comfortable chair. The Coleman Portable Camping Chair is the standard go-to for collapsible quad chairs, and the Coleman Big-N-Tall Quad Chair is slightly bigger and offers a higher seating capacity. The Helinox Chair Zero remarkably weighs just 8 pounds but supports 265 pounds. The Snow Peak Low Beach Chair folds into a storage bag and features a durable canvas material.
A quasi-essential thing to pack is a good power bank to keep your smartphone charged throughout the day. Some of these power banks have enough capacity to keep multiple devices charged:
- The Anker PowerCore III is a versatile power bank for Apple and Android phones. What I love most about this power bank is the wireless 10W Qi charger – simply set a compatible phone on top of the power bank, and it’s charging. There is no need to carry a charging cable. But the power bank also has an 18W USB-C and 15W USB-A port for additional charging options.
- The Anker Magnetic Battery only works with Apple MagSafe iPhones, but Wired
- wrote an article about adapting MagSafe products for Android phones. This power bank features a wireless MagSafe charger with an integrated stand – perfect for setting the phone upright to see the timer on Eclipse Day.
- The Anker Prime 20,000 mAh Power Bank is perfect for charging multiple devices on Eclipse Day. The hefty power bank features two 100W USB-C ports and a 65W USB-A port with a max 200W simultaneous charging capacity.
After packing the essentials for comfort, safety, and power, how about packing a few extra things for entertainment? Take one of these outdoor games for hours of fun while watching the partial eclipse slowly inch across the sky:
- This GoSports Cornhole Set features a solid wood design and includes a hefty carrying case for easy travel.
- The GoSports Left Center Right Giant Dice Game is a recreation of my favorite travel game. This set includes 3.5” wooden dice, giant tokens, and a carrying bag.
- If you’ve played Yahtzee, you’ll understand how Farkle works. The GoSports Giant Wooden Playing Dice Set has 3.5” wooden dice and a dry-erase board for keeping score.
- If you can find a solid playing surface like a picnic table or concrete pad, then you’ll love having the GoSports Giant Wooden Tower Game. It’s an outdoor-sized version of Jenga! The set includes a dry-erase scoreboard and a carrying case.
- The GoSports Regulation Bocce Set is a great game that requires little effort. The set comes with a premium carry case.
Finally, consider downloading some or all these apps that will be extremely useful during Eclipse Day:
- AccuWeather is my favorite app for tracking weather. The app is typically accurate and easy to use and has some great features you might find useful. Download on iOS or Android.
- If you insist on capturing eclipse photos with your smartphone, get the Camera+ 2 app. It’s one of the best camera apps, with many features and settings for getting the most out of your smartphone camera. Download on iOS or Android.
- Google Maps will be invaluable for spotting congested highways and finding alternate routes after watching the eclipse. It’s also a great tool to help you find public transportation to and from your viewing location. Download on iOS or Android.
