BAR HARBOR -- They take their darkness seriously in Bar Harbor.

The Down East resort town has passed an ordinance that says bright lights must be fully shielded at night so beams don't stray upward into the atmosphere. The idea is to make sure the natural spectacle of the nighttime sky is not hampered by manmade light.

The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce points to a National Geographic article that says two-thirds of the nation, including much of the heavily populated East Coast, can no longer see the Milky Way and other heavenly wonders.

But Maine still has the largest expanse of natural night skies east of the Mississippi. The chamber says Bar Harbor, nestled next to Acadia National Park and the Atlantic Ocean, remains a standout for stargazers.