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Eclipse viewers in northern New England express joy, awe and wonder

People in a large crowd look up at the sky wearing eclipse glasses.
Raquel C. Zaldívar / New England News Collaborative
People watch the total solar eclipse in Millinocket, Maine, on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Skies were blue and roads were backed up for miles as tens of thousands of people turned out in northern New England for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Some were locals enjoying the event at home, while others came from far away.

"I’m not going to lie. I felt like rebirthed after it," said Vino Lavariega of Poughkeepsie, New York. "I don't know, like a wave of just something kind of came over me like a fresh, just something fresh....it felt like spring."

Three young men pose smiling in a park.
Lola Duffort / Vermont Public
Harrison Bakst, Vino Lavariega, and William Kearney traveled from New York to Montpelier, Vermont to experience the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

As part of the New England News Collaborative, reporters from Vermont Public, New Hampshire Public Radio, Maine Public and WBUR spoke with viewers across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. They captured the joy, awe and emotion of the rare celestial event.

Find stories about the eclipse, nature and the outdoors across New England by following Our New England on Instagram.