Starfest in Hopewell Big Woods

The Chesmont Astronomical Society will be holding its annual Star Fest at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site on August 27 from 4 pm until midnight. The venue is at the center of of the Hopewell Big Woods (and next to our Crow’s Nest Preserve) and celebrates the dark skies made possible by the the protected natural areas of the Big Woods. Come for any part of the program that interests you:

The program begins at 4 with solar observations and telescope setup with kid’s activities from 6 – 7. Bring a lawn chair and blanket and picnic supper if you like. Then Stan Stubbe, President for the Outdoor Lighting Council will give a short presentation about the Hopewell Big Woods Dark Sky Reserve—an effort to keep light pollution at bay. Karl Krasley, founder of the Chesmont Astronomical Society will speak about the group’s 25th anniversary. Then the keynote speaker, Dr. H. John Wood from NASA Goddard Flight Center, will give a presentation; he is the optics lead engineer on the Hubble Space Telescope Project . By then the skies will be dark and the observations will begin.