Hello: Acadia Astronomical Society Astronomical Society of Northern New England Central Maine Astronomical Society Downeast Amateur Astronomers North Shore Area Astronomy Club Penobscot Valley Star Gazers Southern Maine Astronomers Gloucester Area Astronomy Club Many of you have asked me about the Acadia Night Sky Festival. You have relayed to me how much you enjoyed sharing the night skies with people from all over the world at a truly special event on top of Cadillac Mountain. Seawall was the warmup to get your presentation right, but Cadillac was the showpiece with lines 20 people deep at all of our telescopes. I was incredibly grateful that, during our last year on Cadillac in 2018, more than 80 astronomers from all over the east coast gathered with their fifty-five telescopes and three binocular stations to offer to show the beauty of Acadia’s skies to over a 1000 guests. The Acadia Night Sky Festival is dead. The National Park is no longer interested in supporting the star party at Seawall Picnic Area and finally, they pulled out of the Cadillac Mountain Star Party as well. In fact, unless you’re willing to transport your telescope in a backpack on a hike, Acadia National Park does not allow viewing on top of Cadillac Mountain for anyone. They close the mountain road shortly after sunset and long before it gets dark. So much for their “Half the Park is After Dark” slogan. Now we have a new chance at an exciting new venue. Dark Sky Maine, Blue Hill Public Library, Patagonia, Pugnuts, Blue Hill Heritage Trust, Linda Greenlaw, Michael Marion, John Silvermanm Andrew Kingston, Tara Roberts and Richard Leucke are sponsoring a new festival, The Blue Hill Peninsula Night Sky Festival. See the attached poster for dates and times of events. While there are individual members from AAS, DEAA, CMAS, and GAAC attending, I have been asked to reprise my role to round up a few more astronomers to help out with the premier year’s solar and night time star parties. Again, there is no requirement to signup… just show up with your “telescope”, or just yourself to help out, for your desired event. Blue Hill has equally dark skies to Mount Desert Island so this is an exciting opportunity. Unfortunately, I will have to miss this year’s event as I will be in Iceland. If you have further questions please contact DarkSkyMaine@gmail.com. While there are excellent hotels and restaurants in Blue Hill, if not available, there is a much wider range of additional lodging and restaurants in Ellsworth, fourteen miles to the Northeast. You’ll find the drive from Southern Maine to Blue Hill about twenty-five miles shorter than the ride to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Due to road construction, Blue Hill Mountain is not available this year but they have a wonderful field with a great southern exposure where I’m sure a major star party will occur at the next Blue Hill Peninsula Night Sky Festival in September or October of 2025. Clear skies, ---Dwight, friend of Dark Sky Maine Dear friends, I'm sending this poster to you. The Blue Hill Peninsula Night Sky Festival is happening. Lots of astronomers coming to the peninsula to share their love of the night sky with us. Sunday, September 29th, Thursday, Friday, Saturday October 3,4,5 Attached is the poster with events listed. I'm excited to share this with you. First year, it is happening. Yay! Nancy Nancy Hathaway ✨ President/founder Dark Sky Maine DarkSkyMaine.com DarkSkyMaine@gmail.com is the best email address. Thx See Dark Sky Maine at the Common Ground Fair -- Celebrating the starlit skies of Maine & New England -- Dwight M. Lanpher, Club Liaison P.O. Box 472, 1 Summit Road Northeast Harbor, ME 04662 Member: Dark Sky Maine DarkSky International (formerly: International Dark Sky Association) Illuminating Engineering Society, Member Emeritus Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Life Member Member: AAS, ASNNE, ATMoB, BSIA, CMAS, DEAA, GAAC, NHAS, NSAAC, PVSG, SMA, TVS Telephone: (207) 276-5350 "Good friends are like stars. Although you may not see them you know they're always there." -Christy Evans