Stargazing

Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island offer exceptional stargazing opportunities, boasting some of the darkest night skies remaining on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. Thanks to the park's natural setting away from major urban centers and conscious efforts by communities like Bar Harbor to implement dark-sky friendly lighting ordinances, light pollution is minimal, allowing celestial objects to shine brightly. Within the park, locations such as Cadillac Mountain (check current vehicle reservation requirements on the NPS website), Sand Beach, or viewpoints along the Ocean Path provide expansive overhead views. On clear nights, especially away from the full moon, visitors can witness the breathtaking arc of the Milky Way, identify numerous constellations, spot planets, and potentially catch meteor showers, offering a truly awe-inspiring connection to the universe right from Mount Desert Island.

The Enduring Legacy of the Acadia Night Sky Festival

Although the Acadia Night Sky Festival has concluded in 2019, its 11-year legacy of celebrating Downeast Maine's dark skies and promoting their preservation remains. The festival was born from a successful local conservation effort, initiated at a 2007 summit highlighting Mount Desert Island's unique skies. This led the Bar Harbor Conservation Commission to develop a 'night sky friendly' lighting ordinance, which proved incredibly popular and passed by a landslide vote in 2009. Recognizing this overwhelming community and government enthusiasm, the inaugural festival was launched that same year to celebrate this achievement and the region's natural nocturnal beauty.

Best Stargazing Conditions

• New moon, before moonrise, or after moonset – Though a very fantastic and powerful celestial body, the moon and its brightness can impede your ability to see the stars in their multitude. Check the phases of the moon and the moonrise and moonset times.
• Clear skies and good weather – Stargazing is best on a cloudless or minimally clouded night. Check the forecast for inclement weather and cloud coverage before you venture out.
• An hour or two after sunset – Even after the sun sets, there remains some residual light. Stargazing will be best an hour or two after sunset, when this residual light has dissipated.

Stargazing Preparation and Safety

What to Bring

• Flashlight/headlight (ideally with a red-light function): It is important to stay safe while navigating in the dark, but the bright white lights of a flashlight can impact your night vision and your ability to see all of the stars. Using a flashlight with a red light preserves your night vision, so your eyes do not need as much time to adjust to seeing the night sky.
• Blanket, towel, chair, or something comfortable to sit or lie on: These items are recommended to most comfortably enjoy viewing the night sky and to prevent any upward gazing-induced vertigo.
• Star map or stargazing app: If you are interested in identifying constellations, asterisms, planets, or other celestial bodies, star maps printed from the internet specific for the time of year or stargazing smartphone apps are useful tools.
• Junior Ranger Night Explorer Book: For National Park Service Junior Rangers out enjoying the night sky, there is an astronomy and stargazing specific junior ranger program to work through.

Safety First

• Careful when navigating in the dark, especially when traveling over uneven or rocky surfaces.
• Careful when stargazing on beaches or coastlines and avoid going in the water at night.
• Nighttime in Acadia can get colder than you might expect, so bring layers to stay warm.
• Mosquitos are common during summer months near water sources. Come prepared with proper clothing or insect repellant for the most comfortable experience.

Additional Resources

• Acadia National Park - National Park Service Website
• DarkSky International
• Dark Sky Maine