Maine Wants To Remind You What A Natural Night Sky Looks Like
See that mass of light on the horizon in Acadia National Park? That's the Milky Way—for reals.
Stargazers will see the blue yonder with new eyes at Maine's new Acadia Night Sky Festival, which celebrates the starry, natural nighttime sky. The festival, which starts on the sunset of Sept. 17 and ends at sunrise Sept. 21, tries to bring awareness to the problem of light pollution and the importance of preserving the pristine skies of Bar Harbor and and Acadia National Park.
Fest organizers say that a natural sky is increasingly rare, since artificial light from cities create light pollution and obscure our view of the glowing stars and other stellar matter. They add that two-thirds of the entire population of the Eastern Seaboard has yet to see Earth's own galaxy. In light of this (har, har), the Island Astronomy Institute, along with groups like the National Park Service and the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, decided to preserve the beauty of downeast Maine's natural sky. It's such a sight to behold, that on clear nights you can see the Milky Way swirl above Mount Desert Island.
But don't worry, because despite the focus on light pollution, the festival won't be a snoozefest of astronomy lectures. Park rangers will lead various night walks in Acadia throughout the festival. Artist and astronomer Tyler Nordgren, known for his captivating wide-scale-format digital pictures of the night sky (like the one above), will hold photography workshops.
You can be like Galileo at the Island Astronomy Institute's telescope viewing of Jupiter's four moons from Agamont Park in downtown Bar Harbor. And there will be an art exhibit "Art in the Park," in Bar Harbor Village Green with night sky-themed paintings and photos. The Night Sky Festival will fittingly end with watching the gorgeous sunrise from Acadia's Cadillac Summit (bring your own caffeine). Prices vary on each event, but most are free.
Related Stories:
· Maine Travel [Jaunted]
· Stargazing Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Tyler Nordgren]
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