Fading August Sun
Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • August 28, 2023
It’s coming. Fall. You can already feel it in the air. There is – I know but believe me – a crispness once the humidity falls back some. The light is changing too – not just getting darker earlier but the quality of the light.
This is one of my favorite views of the Mitchell House. Built in 1790, not much has changed about the view – except for the abutting 1908 Observatory with its 1922 Astronomical Study that replaced a house in 1906. The light has fallen the same across portions of this side of the House since Maria Mitchell lived there (1818-1836) and even before – and afterwards. You see this side of the House as you make your way east down Vestal Street. A large blank shingled wall – because who put windows in a stair hall back then? Not many – too expensive and it was utilitarian – getting you from the first floor to the second – you didn’t need a window! You had one at the bottom of the stair facing it – that was all the light you needed. Not many houses still have this – people keep adding in windows in such spaces believing they were once there – they were not. So take a look around as you walk, see if you can find more – it will alert you that there lies the stairway – and you can likely see it from the front window that helps to illuminate that front staircase from the foot of the stairs and the front of the house.
JNLF
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NANTUCKET, MA— The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that its annual Aquarium Release Day will take place on Saturday, October 11, 2025 from 10am - 12pm at the MMA Aquarium at 32 Washington Street. A sensory-friendly half hour will be offered from 9:30 – 1oam. Join MMA staff for refreshments and tie-dying as you help the staff release this season’s Aquarium inhabitants back into the ocean. This event is FREE to the public and a great opportunity to learn and celebrate the marine life that lives in the waters of Nantucket Island. The MMA Aquarium is dedicated to educating the public on the importance of biodiversity in our unique marine ecosystems found here on Nantucket. Each summer, the MMA Aquarium Manager, Christina Norman, as well as her team of dedicated college interns and volunteers, explore the shores of Nantucket and find and document an assortment of over 7,500 individual marine animals, most of which are recorded and released. They snorkel, seine, and beachcomb to collect over 300 different marine animals. These animals are studied and cared for so that the MMA can help people to learn more about these important marine organisms while they are featured at the popular Washington Street Aquarium throughout the season. These marine animals represent roughly seventy different species collected by the MMA staff in tandem with local fishermen. Pre-registration is encouraged. Register at the link below: https://112458a.blackbaudhosting.com/112458a/2025-Aquarium-Release-Day The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ###
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