According to John Gianforte, witnessing a total solar eclipse is a “truly life-changing experience.”
Gianforte knows. Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, has witnessed the eclipse from vantage points in Texas, Mexico and Peru.
New Hampshire residents don’t have to travel far for this experience. On Monday, April 8, the state’s northernmost communities will experience a total eclipse, where the moon’s shadow completely blocks the sun.
John Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory and associate professor of extension of space science education, is traveling to central Texas for the April 8 solar eclipse.
Provided by John Gianforte
“Whether you like science, are interested in science, or hate science, everyone should see a total solar eclipse at least once in their lifetime,” Gianforte said. “I think they are the most emotionally evocative celestial events you can see.”
Only communities in Lancaster and north Milan experience wholeness, and only for a few precious moments. But events to celebrate the eclipse are being planned across the state.
NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live in total orbit, and an additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of it.
The partial solar eclipse, which most of New Hampshire will experience on April 8, will be fun and “beautiful to watch,” Gianforte said.
But he said, “You won’t see anything really interesting that makes a total solar eclipse so devastatingly beautiful.”
Gianforte said the “shadow band,” the ripples that ripple across the terrain just before a totality, solar prominences, Bailey’s beads, and the diamond ring effect are all already unique. It creates a “euphoric feeling,” he says.
“Sometimes you want to pinch yourself: Is this a dream or reality?” Those are the events,” he said.
Noisy traffic, big traffic jam
Gianforte, who is also an extension associate professor at UNH, serves on a statewide committee preparing for the April 8 solar eclipse. The commission is trying to learn from other states that have experienced an onslaught of tourists at such events in the past, he says. He said.
Gianforte observed the 2017 solar eclipse in Sweetwater, Tennessee, and has the great photos to prove it. But what happened next was less impressive.
“It took me 24 hours to get home,” he said. “There was traffic all the way to New Jersey. I couldn’t even find a rest stop with parking where I could park and take a 30- or 45-minute nap.”
UNH Observatory Director John Gianforte took this photo of the 2017 solar eclipse in Sweetwater, Tennessee.
John Gianforte
It’s unclear how many people will get into their cars and head to northern New Hampshire each week. But Gianforte has some advice for people here planning to head north.
“You should never wait until Monday to go where you want to go,” he said. “Try to get there Saturday afternoon or at least Sunday. He doesn’t want to make a three- or four-hour trip on Monday.
“A lot of people will try and fail, but we don’t want that,” he said.
Amanda Reese, education coordinator at the McAuliffe Shepherd Discovery Center in Concord, said the eclipse is “a huge deal for us here in New Hampshire.”
In Concord, viewers experience approximately 96% completeness. “It’s like sunset,” Reese said. “But we will still see the sun’s thin crescent.”
In a total path, she said, the effects would be more dramatic in Lancaster and points north.
“It’s going to be almost like night right above you,” Reese said. “You’ll be able to see the stars and, if possible, planets like Venus, Jupiter and Saturn.”
Reese said animals often react to a total solar eclipse as if it were nightfall. “Some animals will be quite quiet, and others will be quite noisy,” she says. “During totality, you’ll hear more crickets chirping than on normal days.”
During that very brief totality period, and only for about a minute, it’s safe to take off your eclipse glasses and gaze up at the sun’s rare corona. Elsewhere in the state, “they’re going to have to stay out all the time,” Reese said.
celestial sight
Throughout human history, eclipses have fueled imaginations and myths as people tried to make sense of the sun’s sudden disappearance, Rees said. “Many times they thought the sun was being eaten by something,” she says. “People thought it was over.”
In many cultures, people tried to rekindle the sun by shooting fiery arrows or banging pots and pans to drive away the sun’s devourers.
From their perspective, it worked. The sun will appear again.So it “really reinforced those thoughts,” Reese said.
UNH’s Gianforte said modern humans understand the science behind what they see. “We can predict these things hundreds of years in advance, so we don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
However, we humans continue to be fascinated by this heavenly sight.
“Solar eclipses are special because they are rare in certain locations on Earth,” Gianforte said. “And when that happens, people look forward to it.”
Solar eclipses aren’t necessarily unusual, he says. “But it’s very rare for a solar eclipse to occur in your home.”
“You would have to wait 360 to 375 years to see a solar eclipse anywhere on Earth, but if you expand your horizons a little and take the logical challenge of arriving at a place where you can see a total solar eclipse. I’m sure you’ll be able to see the eclipse too.” I think it’s well worth the effort.
“It’s something I’ll never forget,” he said.
The last total solar eclipse occurred on August 21, 2017, with an arc stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. The next time he will come in 2045, he will also pass through the center of the United States instead of the Northeast.
The next total solar eclipse that people in New Hampshire will see will be in 2079. “So this is one of the best opportunities for people to see a total solar eclipse without having to go far,” Reese said.
solar eclipse event
The McAuliffe Shepherd Center, named for two New Hampshire space explorers, will be open April 8 from noon to 5 p.m. Indoor and outdoor activities are planned for all ages, including instructions and materials to make a pinhole camera to view the eclipse.
In Concord, the eclipse will begin at 2:15 p.m., with maximum viewing at 3:29 p.m. It all ends at 4:38 p.m.
A solar eclipse is a rare moment to stop and take in the wonders of the universe, Rees said. She recommends attending community events or gathering with her friends and colleagues to watch. “Going out and sharing this experience with others is the most amazing thing you can see,” she said.
However, be sure to get eclipse glasses in advance to protect your eyes and allow you to see the sun. As the big event approaches, supplies become scarce.
This will be Reese’s first total solar eclipse. “I can’t wait,” she said.
UNH is planning a family-friendly group meal event in Demerit Hall, the physics and astronomy building on campus, on Wednesday, April 3, from 6 p.m. Experts give short talks about the science behind solar eclipses and how to view them safely.
On the day of the solar eclipse, UNH will host an eclipse viewing event exclusively for students, staff, and faculty from 2 to 4 p.m. Large television monitors will be installed in buildings around campus and will broadcast a livestream of NASA’s coverage of the eclipse.
Gianforte will not attend UNH’s celebration. He and a group of about 20 people will head to central Texas where they plan to view the eclipse.
Gianforte’s advice for the big day is, “Be sure to have extra snacks, blankets, and water in your car in case you get stranded somewhere unexpected.”
Make sure you have a full tank of gas, he said. If possible, it’s best to wait until Tuesday to go home.
Finally, Gianforte said, “Be patient.” “Be kind to each other, that’s my advice,” he said.
