I can't help but reflect on the privilege of spending just over 2 hours with 250 people in the dark. Not something that you do all the time!
Saturday 30 March, Palm Beach turned on a spectacular evening to celebrate Earth Hour, #connect2Earth, start Dark Sky Week and learn about Urban Night Sky Parks.
Mother nature was showing off her will. 35km winds tore through the peninsular bringing down trees and taking off rooves, but in our little pocket of Governor Phillip Park, we sat huddled on our beanbags right next to North Palm Beach Surf Club. (Thank you for hosting us.)
The winds, though strong, were a godsend for our stargazing with Fred Watson and Greg Quicke (AKA Space Gandalf). A week of rain and cloudy skies were blown from the south in just a few hours, leaving a blue belt of Venus and a trail of constellations. The pristine environment of Palm Beach, the night sky and the act of 250 curious people, watched Saving the Dark, listened to our storyteller Lindy Mitchell-Nilsson, and melted as the Night Owls Choir sang Under A Milky Way Tonight.
Magic happens in the dark.
Thank you to all our volunteers, friends and supporters who came together to make the evening so heart-warming in spite of the cold. Together we can see the International Dark Sky Association, designate Palm Beach an Urban Night Sky Park.
We look forward to sharing the night sky again with you soon.
Marnie and Fred
