New Hampshire & Maine Eclipse Viewers Should Wear These Colors, and Here’s Why

New Hampshire and Maine are in the direct path of the Eclipse

Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably know that on Monday, April 8, 2024, the moon with eclipse the sun.  Many eclipse viewers in New Hampshire and Maine will be looking toward the sky, since we are expected to have a good view of it. But there is cool optic effect on the ground too.  People are encouraged to wear green and red to experience the "Purkinje effect", and here's why.

It's about Rods and Cones

The Purkinje effect happens when the eye's sensitivity shifts from red in low light to blue, making reds appear dark or even black, according to sciencenews.org.  Blues and greens will POP with this optical shift.  There is a much more scientific explanation of this shift that has to do with the rods and cones of your eyes, but that was too much for me, so just trust me, this will be cool to see.  Just think about wearing a bright red sweater that you wore at that office Christmas party a few months ago, and when you look down, it's now something that you might wear to a funeral (she has to bring death into it...jeez, Sarah.)  That St. Patrick's Day green sweater that you haven't yet brought to the dry cleaners will look very bright to our eyes for a few moments.

New Hampshire and Maine Artists Know This effect

Photographers and artists know that light from the skies affect what the eye sees.  They call it "Magic Hour."  Usually, the day has two magic hours.  If it's not too cloudy, it's the time just before and just after sunrise/sunset.  You may have experienced magic hour yourself, but have not known that it actually has a name, or that your eye was doing something you were completely unaware of.

Whatever you wear on your body, make sure you wear your protective eyewear when you check out the eclipse on Monday, April 8!