WORCESTER, Mass. – Folks at WPI are calling Monday's total solar eclipse a "celestial super bowl." 

They said in Worcester, there was about 93% coverage. 

Professor Rudra Kafle said it's exciting for both the community and for scientists.

Previous solar eclipses have led to groundbreaking discoveries. In 1868, tow astronomers measured the colors of sunlight during a total solar eclipse and discovered helium. Einstein's theory of general relativity was proven during a solar eclipse in 1919. 

Kafle said this year's question is to explain the coronal heating problem. 

"Let's consider it this way. Suppose there is a fire. So when we go away from the fire, we feel cooler and cooler. But under the sun, the temperature of the sphere is about 5,000 degrees Celsius. But as we go out towards the corona, it becomes hotter, a million times hotter," said Kafle. "These are the problems scientists are finding answers to and hopefully, they will find answers during the solar eclipse."

Kafle said eclipses happen frequently, but most are over the ocean instead of in populated areas. 

He also said total eclipses are even rarer.