Dark Sky Sanctuary at the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument

Katahdin's Dark Sky Sanctuary

The Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument has been designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International. The Sanctuary has the darkest skies East of the Mississippi, rating a 2 on the "Bortle Scale", just under Antarctica!

Katahdin's Dark Sky Sanctuary Guide gives useful and fun information and tips on experiencing the Sanctuary, including suggested viewing sites & times, tips for stargazing, information on light pollution and how to avoid it, and has a cool graphic on the Bortle Scale. The Guide is provided and maintained by the Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters. Check it out!

The skies above Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument are rated 2 on the Bortle Scale, indicating a typical truly dark site where the Milky Way is highly structured to the unaided eye. These are the darkest skies east of the Mississippi River. In 2020, the International Dark Sky Association designated the national monument as the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary on the eastern seaboard.

Meteor Shower Dates

Early January - Quadrantids

Early May - Eta Aquariids

Mid-August - Perseids

Mid-December - Geminids

Be sure to check-out the yearly Stars Over Katahdin event in late September!

Be a Junior Ranger Night Explorer! Check out the Junior Ranger Night Explorer booklet to learn more about the dark skies that are protected by the National Park Service.

The National Park Service offers great information on stargazing at the Sanctuary

For more information see the Friends of the Katahdin Woods & Waters Dark Sky Guide