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SEE THE MILKY WAY

On a clear night in Maine you can look up and see something you can’t see from most other places on the Eastern Seaboard—the Milky Way, that large cloudy splash of stars across the sky. Larger, well-lit urban areas have so much light pollution that viewing the full spectacle of the night sky is difficult.

Acadia National Park is one of the best places in Maine to view the Milky Way. The population is fairly small and Acadia and Harbor have passed an ordinance governing the types of lighting allowed. Most light pollution comes from older-style lighting so reducing light pollution requires using directional lighting such as LEDs. Acadia is noted by the International Dark Sky Association as a place that’s been successful at reducing light pollution.

There’s an annual Acadia Night Sky Festival toward the end of September every year, with workshops, speakers, and, of course, informed stargazing. The Festival describes