Tag: Maria Mitchell Association

Maria Mitchell
Nantucket Events, Nantucket History & People

Happy Birthday, Maria

Join the Maria Mitchell Association as it hosts a celebration of Maria Mitchell’s 205th birthday this Tuesday afternoon, August 1 on Vestal Street. From 1 pm to 4 pm, this free event willl offer astronomy and natural science activities, live animal displays, research demonstrations, face painting, live music by Susan […]

Astrophotography
Nantucket Arts, Nantucket Events

Learn How to Capture the Cosmos

Astrophotography is the use of photography in astronomy: the photographing of celestial objects and phenomena. In addition to capturing details of extended objects like Earth’s moon, it also has the power to photograph objects not visible to the human eye, such as dim stars, nebulae, and galaxies. The Maria Mitchell […]

Maria Mitchell Birthday Celebration
Nantucket Events, Nantucket History & People

Happy Birthday Maria

The night sky above Nantucket is not like most places. Celestial bodies seem to shine differently here, thirty miles out to sea and surrounded by the dark waters of the Atlantic. We are far enough away from big city light pollution, and the air is clearer. On a clear night, this island boasts some of the best stargazing human eyes can behold. 

Photo By Tom Griswold
Island Science

Magic of Dark Skies

My first summer on Nantucket, in 1998 as a Maria Mitchell Association intern, was a magical experience for many reasons. Not the least of which was my first time to the beach at night. I will never forget the excitement of riding my bike in the dark with the other interns to catch a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower one August summer night. Before I even saw one shooting star, I remember the awe-inspiring moment of looking up and seeing a sky full of bright twinkly stars. In a place like Nantucket, on this tiny island in the sea, the sky seems to go on forever into the ocean. Forget the sunsets that people “oooh and awe” about. The night sky of Nantucket is where the real show is!