ORFORD — Spend Friday night viewing the cosmos with guidance from an area astronomer during the Upper Valley Land Trust’s Stargazing Party at Mountain View Farm in Orford.
Bring a picnic dinner and meet at 7:30 p.m. to view the sunset before learning about the stars above from astronomer David Russ, of Lyme, who will bring two high-powered telescopes for people to use.
The Upper Valley Land Trust will provide snacks and hot chocolate at the free event, which ends at 10:30 p.m.
The farm is on Mousley Brook Road, located in the Quinttown section of Orford. Saturday is the rain date.
“I think this is a great event to bring your kids to as long as you don’t mind them staying up a bit late,” said Alison Marchione, programs director at the Upper Valley Land Trust.
The land trust held its first Stargazing Party last year at farm, during a Vermont Public Radio program at the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury, Vt.
“We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to do something in conjunction with that but at one of our conserved properties?’ ” Marchione said. “We chose Mountain View because there’s not light pollution there.”
Last year’s event was a hit and people were eager to learn more about the cosmos.
“We got a pretty good turnout and some really positive reviews of that. People wanted to do it again,” Marchione said.
The 146-acre property has 360-degree views.
“It’s all sky and it’s surrounded by hills and mountains,” Marchione said. “It’s very beautiful.”
The nonprofit organization has improved this year’s event by bringing in Russ, an amateur astronomer and enthusiast.
“No one on our staff is an astronomer or even close,” Marchione said.
Russ plans on bringing star maps and astronomy books for people to view then ask questions about the sky spread out above them.
“It will kind of be a choose-your-own-adventure,” Marchione said.
The event is accessible for people of all ages and abilities, as there is no hiking involved.
“You can drive right up and walk into the field to where you want to sit,” Marchione said. “It’s probably going to end up being, at least for now, an annual event because people seem pretty interested in it.”
Those arriving to the event late should turn off their headlights as they approach the field, Marchione said. Flashlights should be covered with red plastic or red nail polish to minimize light pollution. Guests should also bring chairs, blankets and inquisitive minds.
“Hopefully we’ll have a nice sunset and we’ll get to see the stars,” Marchione said.
Editor’s note: For more information, visit uvlt.org or call 603-643-6626. Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
