In Portland, about 100 miles south of the path of totality, the moon covered 96.4% of the sun at the eclipse's peak.

On the Maine Turnpike, it felt like Labor Day, while rural roads bore a rare press of traffic.

Maine Hardware did brisk business when word got out this weekend that it still had a good supply of glasses that let you look at the sun.

Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse can lead to permanent eye damage.

For starters, the full eclipse will last longer than usual because the moon will be just 223,000 miles from Earth, one of the year’s closest approaches.

All you need to know about when, where and how to see the April 8 solar eclipse, plus events happening from southern Maine to Aroostook County, starting this week.

Many libraries are distributing free solar eclipse glasses to patrons to prepare for the April 8 event.

About 20,000 people are expected in the Rangeley Lakes Region to experience the astronomical event.

A video feed from a balloon drifting 90,000 feet above Maine will show the shadow pass over Earth as if seeing the eclipse from the vantage point of the moon.

Public safety officials said Sunday they feel prepared to handle whatever comes their way, though no one knows how heavy traffic could be or how many people will flood central Maine and beyond.

Several communities in the rural and northern parts of the state, located in the path of totality, hope for an astronomical tourist boom when the eclipse becomes visible on the afternoon of April 8.

There are lots of eclipse activities, but also places to shop, dine and explore nature.

Business owners in Bingham say they don’t know just how big the crowd will be on Monday, but are preparing to be overwhelmed — and have some fun.

Johanna Johnston, event coordinator for Maine Eclipse and her colleagues in began preparations for the eclipse nearly 3 years ago. The path of totality includes a large swath of the county.

The last total solar eclipse over Maine was on July 20, 1963, and the next one will not be until May 1, 2079.

Edward Herrick-Gleason, director of the University of Southern Maine's Southworth Planetarium, says a total eclipse is something to behold. And yes, you need those funny glasses.

The people who could see the rare astronomical phenomenon were awed, but because of rainstorms, many never got a glimpse.

Sound and touch devices will be available at public gatherings on April 8, when a total solar eclipse crosses North America, the moon blotting out the sun for a few minutes.

The total solar eclipse, which will be visible from more than a dozen states, is fueling a small spending boom across the nation.

The Federal Aviation Administration has warned that air traffic delays are likely on April 8, when the eclipse will sweep through North America from Mexico to Canada.