Event Details (U.S. National Park Service)

Fee:

Free.

Location: LAT/LONG: 43.495622, -72.375174

Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, 139 Saint-Gaudens Road, Cornish NH 03745

Dates & Times

Date:

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Time:

8:00 PM

Duration:

2 hours

Description

Cornish, NH: On Sunday, September 8, 2019 Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park will host our seventh annual Star Party in partnership with the Springfield Telescope Makers (STM) of the Stellafane Observatory in Springfield, Vermont. The event will be held from 8:00-10:00 p.m. at Saint-Gaudens NHP in Cornish, New Hampshire and admission is free.

In the event of rain or heavy clouds, the night sky viewing will be rescheduled. To find out if the event is going forward as scheduled, contact the park at (603) 675-2175 ext. 106. Updates will also be posted on the Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Facebook page.

Attending a night sky viewing event comes with some etiquette conventions that may be unfamiliar to first-time attendees but which enhance viewing conditions for everyone. Most importantly, bright, white lights are discouraged at night sky viewing events; bright lights ruin your night vision and the night vision of those around you. Attendees are encouraged to acquire and bring a red-light flashlight or a flashlight with a red lens or with a red piece of plastic covering the bulb. The park will have a limited number of red glow sticks for those without a red flashlight. Even with red lenses, use your light sparingly; on a clear night, your eyes will adjust quickly to the dark conditions. It is also important to remember that telescopes are expensive and that many of the telescopes at this event are hand-crafted and difficult to replace. Please follow the instructions of the STM member staffing the scope you are looking through. And finally, ask lots of questions. The amateur astronomers who are bringing their telescopes to this event love the night sky and sharing it with others.

The Springfield Telescope Makers is a club founded by amateur telescope maker Russell Porter in 1923. The club is devoted to promoting the practice of crafting high-quality telescopes by amateur astronomers. The club owns and maintains the Stellafane Observatory on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont, at which it offers free mirror-grinding workshops in the winter months and hosts the annual Stellafane Convention of amateur telescope builders and night sky enthusiasts in the summer. More information about the Springfield Telescope Makers, the Stellafane Observatory and the Stellafane Convention can be found at www.stellafane.org.

Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park is located off NH Route 12A, just north of the Cornish-Windsor covered bridge. The park preserves the home, studios and grounds of the famed American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and displays the largest collection of original Saint-Gaudens artwork in the world. The park also boasts some wonderful dark night skies. The park is open daily through October 31. For more information, write: Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, 139 Saint-Gaudens Road, Cornish, NH 03745; phone: (603) 675-2175 x 106; visit the park's website: www.nps.gov/saga, and follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/SaintGaudensNHS.