BANGOR, Maine — On the eve of the total solar eclipse, travelers are arriving in force at Bangor International Airport.
This comes as recent forecasts predict clear skies in Maine during Monday’s eclipse, giving the state some of the best viewing conditions in the path of totality.
"We’ve picked, like, the best location to see it," Susan Whitaker, who arrived Sunday morning from Washington D.C., said.
With the state estimating between 10,000 and 40,000 visitors in Maine for the eclipse, heavy traffic is expected on the road to totality, with some concerned that the good weather will serve to drive even more cars into Maine.
"We’re a little worried that other people are going to change their plans and end up coming to Maine," Whitaker’s husband, Tom, said Sunday.
Despite this, the mood of the Whitakers and others arriving at Bangor International Airport was upbeat, with eclipse chasers making the journey for a number of different reasons.
For Susan Whitaker, the blocking of the sun by the moon is a source of historical fascination.
"Before technology when things like this happened… people thought… the world was ending," Whitaker explained.
To others, like Ryan McCannell—a Maine native living out of state—coming back home means an opportunity to revel in a moment of cosmic history.
"I have been interested in astronomy since I was a little kid,” McCannell explained. “And it’s the best place in the whole nation to see the eclipse."
Tune in to NEWS CENTER MAINE on air and online at 2 p.m. Monday for special eclipse coverage.