Recently, CMAS received an email from long-time CMASian Naveen, who had attended star parties regularly, but stopped abruptly when he left Maine some years back. In the years since, his work had taken him all over the United States, including to many locations famed for their dark skies. Nowhere else, he found, compares with Maine, so he and his fiance planned a long-weekend excursion from Missouri back to Maine just to see our skies once again. This past Sunday, the skies cleared, so Colin and I met Naveen and Shahi at Brower Observatory for several fine hours of observing before the clouds abruptly closed in again. With their permission, CMAS is publishing the note that they sent upon traveling back to Missouri. It speaks volumes to the beauty of our skies and the gifts that we in Maine can see so often, right here at home.
<><><><><>
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Colin and Jon for making my journey truly worthwhile, as I had the chance to experience Maine’s dark skies once again. The breathtaking views of Andromeda, the Dragonfly Cluster, and the spectacular sight of Saturn and its rings were unforgettable. We even spotted the Double Cluster and M13 before Maine’s famously unpredictable weather surprised us with clouds out of nowhere.
Having observed night skies in Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley, and St. Louis, I can confidently say that nothing compares to the brilliance of Maine’s dark skies. My deepest gratitude goes out to everyone involved in protecting these skies.
Special thanks to Colin for his incredible telescope setup and his expertise in navigating the deep sky objects, and to Jon for helping me relive some cherished memories. Your company made this experience even more enjoyable, and I look forward to many more memorable visits to the Maine skies.
Thanks a ton to the whole community!
From Naveen & Shahi. Cheers, everyone!
