The next Maine total solar eclipse is April 8, 2024, from 3:24pm to 3:35pm!
Maine is considered prime viewing for this monumental Solar Eclipse. Best viewing locations are Sugarloaf, Rangeley and the Millinocket region of Maine, however evidence of the 99% eclipse and its fascinatingly rare darkening will be evident across much of the state.
What’s cool about the Kennebunks is not necessarily the nightlife, lol. Its the nighttime stargazing that can be amazing. Clear skies along Maine’s coastline provide ideal celestial star spotting, and uninterrupted views of planets, meteors too. The lack of light pollution, and pollution in general, by our ocean horizon, lend to great viewing of planets at night.
Mariners used the stars to navigate their sail-powered boats at night, across the unchartered seas. That tells you that being near or out to sea is the place to be for star gazing. Even sitting on Kennebunk Beach at night, in the dark (bring a flashlight to get there and back) is a good start to star gazing.
Did you know Kennebunk has its own Observatory? Clearly astronomers see this region of southern Maine as a prime planetarium place. Opened in 2001, the Astronomical Society of Northern New England opened the Starfield Observatory in Kennebunk. The Kennebunk Observatory is located on Rte. 35 near the Kennebunk-Lyman town line, (Latitude 43 degrees 27.28 minutes north and Longitude 70 degrees 36.15 minutes west), on 3.5 acre of a 40-acre open field – ideal and unobstructed.
Kennebunk Starfield Observatory has two telescopes, and a monthly Star Party to gather like-minded astrology geeks, astronomy lovers and celestial interpreters. Kennebunk star gazing includes viewing of the Sun (with special filters), planets, galaxies, constellations, nebulae, meteors, and star clusters.
Kennebunk Star Observatory Telescopes are a 8″ f/15 Zeiss-Jena refractor and a 16″ Meade LX200 GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain, housed within a roll roof and wide doors, plus a deep stable concrete pad to eliminate any vibration.
A nearby Planetarium is at UNE – University of New England in Portland Maine. Here you can watch shows of Space Missions, virtual walk on the moon, Solar Systems shows, and Mars expeditions. See Southworth Planetarium info here.
Best times to view the stars in Maine, and occasional meteor showers, are July and August.
Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, can sometimes be seen December into February, primarily in northern Maine, rarely Kennebunk.
Download a star gazing app like Sky View and Sky Tonight to help you navigate and interpolate the stars and planets, moon phases and horoscopic movement in your night sky.
Maine’s first total solar eclipse since 1963 is April 8, 2024 – with top totality viewing spots over Rangeley and Moosehead lakes, Baxter State Park, Jackman, Millinocket and Presque Isle. So stop in Kennebunkport and Kennebunk on your way up north for your Eclipse trip to Maine in 2024.
Next eclipse visible in Maine after 2024 will be 2079 – so you could say Maine solar eclipses are extraordinary.
When we said “star gazing in Kennebunkport”, did you think The Presidential Bush family, Dr McDreamy Patrick Dempsey who also has a house here, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Rachael Ray who love to visit Kennebunkport and visit locals restaurants and bars?! Gotcha!
Stay in Kennebunkport or Kennebunk Beach for your stargazing trip at your choice of world class upscale resort like the historic riverfront Nonantum Resort, or family friendly lodging at Rhumb Line, or beachfront at the historic Seaside Inn.