The stars will shine on The Poets Corner this January 8 with an event featuring filmmaker Tara Roberts Zabriskie who documented Maine’s efforts to “save the stars” in her film “Defending the Dark.” We will show a trailer from the film, and hear about the efforts of Dark Sky Maine.
We’ll also hear from author and poet Midge Goldberg who will share selections from her recently published anthology: Outer Space, 100 Poems, along with a few other poets reading their contemporary poems about the night sky. Share the wonders of the night sky with us on Zoom.
Outer Space: 100 Poems
Edited by Midge Goldberg
Defending the Dark: Preserving the Night Sky in Maine
From filmmaker Tara Roberts Zabriskie
About the Film: Defending the Dark
The film was made by conservation filmmaker Tara Roberts Zabriskie in partnership with Dark Sky Maine, Mountains of Stars, and Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands who are all dedicated to educating the public about light pollution by connecting them with the night sky. It was funded in part by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (MOHF) which helps fund critical wildlife and conservation projects throughout Maine and gets its revenue through the Maine State Lottery scratch off ticket (the one with the bee hive).
Tara’s previous conservation film work with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy caught the eye of Doug Arion of Mountains of Stars. The two of them connected and talked about how to bring the issue of light pollution to a wider audience. Dark Sky Maine helped us move the project forward by connecting all the dots and getting us in touch with the right people. Tara’s personal connection to the stars comes from her childhood summers sleeping in her backyard looking up at the sky and pondering life’s biggest questions. Over the years the encroachment of light pollution has made it harder to see the night sky from her childhood home.
The film Defending the Dark premiered in July of 2022 at the Maine International Film Festival. It is scheduled to have its broadcast premiere on Maine Public TV on January 26th, and will be shown on PBS stations nationwide starting in April.