Above: Nico Susi and Adair Kentor watch the eclipse on Virginia Avenue Monday, 4/8/24.

Boy, did the planets align for New England and the 2024 eclipse! 

The sun shone Monday for the full eclipse that sweep from Mexico to Canada – that alone was quite a blessing after so many rainy or just dreary days here in Rhode Island. And, while, East Greenwich got a 90 to 91 percent eclipse, it was still memorizing for residents and workers who stepped outside with their eclipse glasses to look up and take it all in.

This EG News editor traveled to Colebrook, N.H., (pop. 2,084) to experience the eclipse in its totality. I was not disappointed. The social and science aspects were especially memorable – talking to people about where they were from (mostly Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and – yes – Rhode Island!) and what brought them to Colebrook – the promise of clear skies and three minutes of totality.  But also the people who brought contraptions to project the shrinking sun onto white paper or a white sheet. I especially enjoyed the cheese grater–colander effect (see below). It was a breathtaking experience.

The total eclipse, in Colebrook, New Hampshire, April 8, 2024.

Dante Susi is sun and moon struck in East Greenwich.

Brennan Cronin staff check out the eclipse Monday on South County Trail. Submitted photo

Science #1: Seeing the crescents of the eclipse in process through the tiny holes of a vegetable steamer in Colebrook, N.H. They would normally be circles. 

Science #2: The eclipse starts, in Colebrook N.H.

Science #3: No glasses necesary to follow the eclipse this way (but you do miss the color), in Colebrook, N.H.

The total eclipse cast the field at Colebrook Elementary School into dusk … for three minutes.

Eclipse memorabilia from Colebrook, N.H.