The night sky over Mount Washington in New Hampshire will be illuminated Sept. 9-12 with two towers of light beaming from the summit beginning at 8 p.m. each night to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Organizers from The Honor Summit say the beams will extend about 4½ miles above the 6,288-foot summit and could be visible from as far as 135 miles away under clear conditions, including into western parts of Maine.

The project was created by Renee Plummer of Granite Springs Foundation, with support from the state of New Hampshire and regional partners. Organizers say it is intended to honor those killed on Sept. 11, first responders and military veterans while helping younger generations understand the significance of the attacks.

In all, 2,977 people were killed when terrorists hijacked four airliners and crashed two into the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon in northern Virginia, and another into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001.

According to The Honor Summit website, Plummer said reaching younger generations is an important part of the project.

“It’s an opportunity for kids to learn,” Plummer said. “They’re the generation that is going to carry this on, and we have a responsibility as a society.”

The Honor Summit describes the observance as an effort to bridge the distance between people who experienced Sept. 11 firsthand and those who know the attacks largely through history. The project also comes during the nation’s 250th anniversary year.

Plummer said she hopes people who see the beams will take a moment to reflect.

“Look up and pause, reflect, remember, even if it’s 10 seconds,” she said on the website.

Recommended viewing locations in Maine include Height of Land along Route 17 in Roxbury, Quill Hill in Rangeley and Hacker’s Hill Preserve in Casco.

People will not be able to drive themselves up the Mount Washington Auto Road during the display, though guided tours are being offered.

Plummer said the project is meant to give continuing meaning to the phrase “never forget.”

“Let’s not just make that a slogan,” she said. “Let’s make this an opportunity for us to truly never forget.”

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