Maine
Rangeley Heritage Trust creates Friends of Western Maine Dark Sky
Looking up at the night sky in northern and rural Maine, it is a sight to behold, almost unique in today’s lit-up world. The Rangeley region is one of the last areas in the Northeast largely untouched by light pollution.
It is also a draw for many tourists and stargazers who come to the region for the clear view of the night sky.
A new group called Friends of the Western Maine Dark Sky hopes that by limiting the amount of light pollution, those views will be preserved for generations to come.
The group gathered at the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust on March 3 to talk about ways to educate the community on the importance of dark skies to the region.
One of their primary efforts is to try to designate Rangeley as an official Dark Sky community.
The designation will require a few steps. First, an application will be submitted to DarkSky International expressing an interest. Then, the town of Rangeley will need to adopt a new lighting ordinance at the June town meeting.
A new state law taking effect in October will require publicly funded outdoor lighting across the state to be dimmed at night to protect wildlife and dark skies. This includes using warm, yellow-toned bulbs, dimming or turning off nonessential lights and shielding lights so they don’t shine upward into the sky.
The town ordinance would create guidelines similar to the state laws on the kinds of lights used in town, as well as restrict some signs, such as LED message boards. Existing boards would be allowed to remain in place.
“The fact that the existing signage is grandfathered in perhaps bodes well for getting an approval of the town meeting,” said Linda Dexter, Dark Sky community certification coordinator at the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, who is leading the effort. “It’s going to impact businesses in the town … right out of the gate, folks will tend to not vote for it.”
Even if an ordinance passes, change would likely be slow. Most of the group’s efforts will be on community education, such as informing seasonal residents to turn off the lights at their camps while they are gone for the winter. Also, the application may not be approved for up to six months after it is submitted, Dexter said.
Maine
Maine astronaut Jessica Meir shares stunning aurora view from ISS
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, (WGME) — Maine native and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is giving us a look into her view from the International Space Station.
Meir shared this breathtaking view on X Sunday. It’s a stunning aurora show.
Meir is the commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission.
Maine native and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is giving us a look into her view from the International Space Station. (Courtesy of Jessica Meir)
She says there is a lot going on right now on the space station.
A few days ago, astronauts had to deal with a leak.
Meir says everyone on board is safe and happy to see the spectacular views.
The SpaceX Crew-12 has been up in the stars for 115 days.
Maine
Showers passing across Maine today; warmer and drier to start the workweek
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Good morning, and Happy Sunday everyone. Skies are on the cloudier side across Maine this morning with scattered showers for much of the state. A couple of breaks in clouds can be found here or there. Temperatures vary throughout the 50s for most, while reaching the 60s and low 70s in Southern Maine as more consistent sunshine is allowing for plenty of heating. Patchy fog remains across a good chunk of the state with some towns under one mile. Winds are on the calmer side this morning.
The morning hours will remain cloudier with showers and patchy fog for many. By the afternoon, showers will continue for most of the state, but will taper off from the NW to SE. This means conditions will dry out with sunshine developing across Northern Maine by the midafternoon. Showers will continue along the interstate until 3-4pm, with sunshine then filtering in by the later evening hours. Coastal locations will experience showers until the later evening hours, with clouds breaking by sunset, allowing for some sun to end the day. High temps today will vary from the upper 50s to low 70s. Dewpoints will become sticky in spots. Winds will be on the lighter side in the morning, before becoming breezy in the afternoon with WSW to NNW gusts reaching 25-35 mph.
Rainfall totals today will vary between a quarter to a half of an inch for most. Some pockets to the northwest, however, will only reach a tenth of an inch to a quarter inch.
Conditions will be quiet tonight. Besides a few clouds and light showers Downeast shortly before sunset, skies will clear with mostly to completely clear conditions and some patchy morning fog. Low temps will reach the low 40s to low 50s with North to NNW gusts remaining a bit breezy, reaching 20-30 mph.
Monday will be a dry day, and in my opinion, the pick of the week. Skies will be sunny with just a few clouds developing later in the evening. High temps will warm up, from the low 70s to low 80s. NNW/SW gusts will remain just a little breezy, reaching 20-25 mph.
Another beautiful day with mostly sunny skies is expected on Tuesday. However, temperatures will really start to warm. Highs will vary from the mid 70s to upper 80s. WNW/SW gusts will only reach 20 mph.
Above average temperatures will carry on Wednesday through Friday with highs throughout the 70s and 80s for most. However, this stretch of days is becoming increasingly unsettled. Showers and thunderstorms look increasingly more likely to develop during the afternoons as some frontal systems pass through. The greatest chance of showers and storms will be Wednesday night through Thursday. More cloud cover is thus expected, so temperatures aren’t looking to peak as high as they were originally expected to reach. Dewpoints will also become sticky towards the end of the work week, reaching into the 60s on Thursday and Friday.
SUNDAY: Highs from upper 50s to low 70s. Cloudier AM with showers. PM showers tapering off from NW to SE. Evening sunshine developing. Slightly sticky dewpoints. WSW to NNW gusts reach 25-35 mph during PM.
MONDAY: Highs from low 70s to low 80s. Sunny skies. A few evening clouds. NNW/SW gusts reach 20-25 mph.
TUESDAY: Highs from mid 70s to upper 80s. Mostly sunny skies. WNW/SW gusts reach 20 mph.
WEDNESDAY: Highs from low 70s to upper 80s. Partly to mostly cloudy AM. Cloudy PM with showers & storms possible. Slightly sticky dewpoints. SW gusts reach 15-20 mph.
THURSDAY: Highs from upper 60s to mid 80s. Partly to mostly cloudy. Showers & storms possible. Sticky dewpoints. South/SW gusts reach 15-20 mph.
FRIDAY: Highs from mid 60s to low 80s. Partly cloudy, few mostly cloudy spots. PM showers/storms possible. Sticky dewpoints. South gusts reach 15-20 mph.
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