The WAS Weekly Wednesday Star Party!

This Wednesday and every Wednesday, after 8 pm, if the skies are clear, the Westport Astronomical Society holds a public viewing night. If it’s near the summer solstice, please do not come until after sunset – we will likely open at 9 pm for a month on either side of the solstice. Look at the live feeds at the bottom of this page for current updates.

Every week the volunteers open up the Westport Observatory and pull out the telescopes for an evening of star gazing and learning. These public nights are open to everyone of all ages and experiences and are a great way to experience firsthand what we are all about.

BEFORE YOU COME: Look outside… If it’s cloudy, raining, or snowing we will not open the Observatory. This is an outside event and it could be very cold or very hot and sticky. Please check our feed below and our social media accounts for updates. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads and Mastodon.

HOW TO FIND US: We’re at 182 Bayberry Lane in Westport CT, up the hill and behind the Aspetuck Health District. Get directions to the Westport Observatory HERE.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE: Parking is limited and sometimes we get very busy. If all the spots are taken, there is plenty of parking at the bottom of the hill at the Aspetuck Health District parking lot. Just walk up to us. Please turn off your headlights and avoid using flashlights. We use red lights to keep our eyes dark adapted – so if you take a picture, don’t use your flash.

OBSERVING: Never touch or try to move the telescopes without asking. Please follow the instructions of the WAS Volunteer if they tell you it’s OK. And as much as you want to, don’t grab the eyepiece when you look through the telescope! Occasionally, the lines get long but we want to make sure that everyone sees a few cool things and many times you’re going to see a LOT of amazing objects! Never be afraid to ask a question – we want to tell you all sorts of neat stuff. Sometimes, if there isn’t a big line, you can take a picture of either the Moon, Jupiter, or even Saturn with your cell phone. Moon shots look good but your mileage will vary on the planets.

BUY US A COFFEE: While our public viewing nights are always free, a suggested donation of $5 per person for non-members helps us to run our non-profit organization, maintaining our telescopes and facilities for years to come. We rely on support from people like you and are always looking for new members to join our society. Our 100% volunteer team believes that keeping science in our community makes it better for everyone.

 

The Latest from the Observatory

Loading Mastodon feed...

CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

The Live Westport Observatory 360 AllSky Camera


• Live WAS Weather Station
• Hourly Astronomy Conditions
• NWS Satellite Animation Loops
• Transparency Animation
• Seeing Animation

  • 00

    days

  • 00

    hours

  • 00

    minutes

  • 00

    seconds

Date

Nov 13 2024

Time

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Local Time

  • Timezone: America/New_York
  • Date: Nov 13 2024
  • Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Labels

Star Party

Location

Westport Observatory
Westport Observatory
182 Bayberry Lane, Westport, CT 06880
Category
Scroll to Top