As a Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund-supported project, the Bureau of Parks and Lands is partnering with Cornerstones of Science, U-Maine’s Emera Astronomy Center and Maine astronomers and trained naturalists to develop and offer stargazing programs at 12 Maine State Parks for campground guests and park visitors. The grant will be used to purchase 12 telescopes and star kits, two iPads with star apps, and astronomy books, and cover the cost of a night sky training session and practical for park staff and program presenters at Emera Astronomy Center.  

These stargazing programs will connect visitors to Maine’s natural heritage during a time when many fear to be outside — nighttime. And, viewing the stars has the inherent ability to make people think outside themselves, to wonder about their place in the universe. The experience through this project will connect star-gazers with the importance of the stars for navigation by humans and animals, and the importance of natural places, such as state parks, in helping preserve starscapes.

Look for these stargazing programs during the summer of Maine’s bicentennial, 2020.