Heavens Above! Star Gazing at WIN Weekend in Norfolk

They are seeing stars in Norfolk Connecticut - not to mention planets and galaxies during the annual WIN, Weekend in Norfolk Festival taking place this year on August 3, 4 and 5.    One of the many highlights of WIN is the Free Astronomy Night Event with Matthew Moore Johnson taking place on August 4  at 8 p.m. at Dennis Hill State Park on Litchfield Road. 

Norfolk is one of the best places in Connecticut to stargaze...so make sure not to miss the special Astronomy Night. Don't forget to bring your own binoculars or a telescope if you have one. Dennis Hill State Park is at an elevation of 1627 feet and Norfolk doesn't have any "light pollution" making it an excellent spot to observe the nighttime sky.

Milky Way

Observing the heavens can be as easy as sitting back in a reclining summer chair and then turning a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope to the celestial heavens that are so brilliant in the quiet hamlet of Norfolk. Participants that want a more exciting and active look at the stars will be able to examine and learn about five different optical systems under the guidance of Johnson.  Guests will also learn about how binoculars work and how to adjust them properly for crystal clear focused viewing.  

For the "technosavvy," Johnson will demonstrate how to use Planispheres and Smartphone applications for optimal use.  He will also show participants how to take pictures of celestial objects with a smartphone and how to share them instantly with their friends.   And, if you have ever wanted to learn how to read a star chart, don't miss this star-studded event.

About the Moon

On August 4, the Moon will be in a third-quarter phase, which occurs roughly 3 weeks after the new moon when the earth is three-quarters of the way through its orbit around the earth. The Moon’s left side will be illuminated and the right side dark. The Moon will rise around midnight on the eastern horizon and set in the west around noon the next day. 

About WIN- Weekend In Norfolk 

No holds barred! Fun for all is the watchword in Norfolk, Conn., this coming August 3, 4 and 5 during the town’s third annual three-day, town-wide festival, A Weekend in Norfolk. Everyone’s invited to come with family and friends to enjoy the more than 80 events—mostly free—that Norfolk’s organizations, businesses, and individuals will all be putting on to welcome visitors to their town.

Visit the Weekend in Norfolk Website, for details by special interest or by day and time, and be sure to come the first weekend in August 2018 (August 3, 4 and 5). 

You’ll have all the fun you imagined and more!