For libraries and museums planning events for the eclipse the hope is the same: clear skies on Monday afternoon. According to the National Weather Service in Gray, that’s exactly what they can expect.

“Things could change, but we’re expecting to have high pressure over the region,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Nikki Becker. “The next frontal system isn’t approaching until Tuesday into Wednesday, so you won’t start to see increasing clouds until early Tuesday morning which should make Monday feasible.”

Roscoe the museum raccoon tries out his solar-viewing glasses. Photo courtesy of L.C. Bates Museum

In addition to the sunny forecast, the service has provided information on its website about the start, peak and end of the eclipse at various points in the state. According to the service, the eclipse will kick off around 1:27 p.m. in Rangeley, 1:29 p.m. in Portland and 1:30 p.m. in Augusta. It will reach its peak at 2:43 p.m. in Rangeley and 2:45 p.m. in Portland and Augusta. The eclipse will end around 3:53 p.m. in Rangeley, 3:55 p.m. in Augusta and 3:57 p.m. in Portland.

The L.C. Bates Museum on the Good Will-Hinckley campus in Fairfield has given away close to 3,000 sets of solar-filter glasses with which to view the eclipse, museum director Deborah Staber said Friday.

“I’m amazed that every other phone call is someone about the glasses,” she said.

The museum amassed about 4,000 sets of glasses from multiple sources throughout the summer, Staber said, but as the eclipse drew nearer, more and more people were calling or coming to the museum asking for glasses. The glasses and sun-viewing binoculars will be available the day of the eclipse, and the museum will filter its telescope so it can be used as well. The museum will also live stream the event, she said.

About 12 solar system related activities for kids and families, such as stations and models to be put together that explain the eclipse, will be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, with some activities available over the weekend, Staber said. Other activities include learning about mass and gravity, studying models that show the eclipse and a more playful one creating an alien. All the activities came from the National Informal Stem Education Network, and L.C. Bates was one of 250 museums across that country that received them. Some activities for kids can be taken home, such as making a version of the eclipse with black and yellow circles.

The museum has sent a team of volunteers to Wyoming to send up a solar balloon to check radiation levels as part of the Earth and Space Calculus Maine citizen science project. The group consists of board members, students from around the state and others. Groups from across the country are doing the same in Wyoming.

“It’s a much larger project,” Staber said, with groups comparing data later.

Librarians at the Winslow Public Library will also hand out viewing glasses and teach people how to make eclipse-related crafts at a party marking the solar eclipse from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.

Samantha Cote, youth services and technology librarian, said about 100 solar eclipse glasses from NASA will be handed out.

Cote came across the idea while planning the final party for the library’s summer reading program, which holds 32 events over the summer. Cote thought it would be fun to tie in the whole universe to the library program’s theme of “building a better world.”

“And it’s really taken off with the public, so that’s exciting,” she said.

Cote will also demonstrate how to make a pinhole eclipse viewer, which allows people to experience a solar eclipse safely even if they don’t have the correct glasses and can’t look at the sun directly.

“It’s basically a pinhole camera,” Cote said. One end of a box or tube is covered in foil and a hole is poked through it. At the other end, a piece of white paper is placed. When the box or tube is held up to the sun, the light goes through the hole and diffracts onto the white paper, making shapes.

Cote will also be setting up a solar oven to make s’mores. Using recycled pizza boxes, Cote said she will put foil in the bottom with a sheet of black paper. She will then cut a frame out of the top and put foil in that and angle it so that heat gets reflected onto the s’mores. It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for them to melt this way, she said. Sugar cookies people can decorate will also be available.

“Then we’re going to have some crafts, if people want to make something to take home, like a momento,” Cote added.

While most supplies will be provided, people should bring chairs and snacks.

“We’re hoping people will hang out with us and talk about the eclipse, check out some of our space books and just hang out with their community,” Cote said.

At Lithgow Public Library in Augusta, a teen solar eclipse party will be held from 2-4 p.m. Monday, where participants will be encouraged to make a solar eclipse mobile and watch the eclipse on the lawn with the special glasses. Others are invited to join from 2:30-3 p.m. to watch the eclipse. The library will have a limited number of eclipse viewing glasses available at the event, according to the library’s website.

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