The Discovery Center at Ridgefield, in conjunction with the New Pond Farm Observatory, 101 Marchant Rd., West Redding, is hosting an astronomy program that is open to the public on Saturday, May 14th, starting at 8:30 P.M.
This month the astronomers will be focused on Jupiter with its grand moons and giant red spot. They will also highlight the Great Cluster in the constellation of Hercules, which is considered to be the finest globular cluster viewable from the Northern Hemisphere. We will be looking for The Great Cluster in the constellation of Hercules known as Messier 13 or M13, it is located within the Keystone, the lopsided square (pattern or asterism of 4 stars) in Hercules. It is between the two brightest stars of our spring and summer night sky, Vega and Arcturus. We will also be discussing some of the other Spring Constellations like Bootes, & Virgo.
A globular cluster is a round collection of stars that orbit the core of a galaxy. They are being held in a sphere by strong gravitational forces. The globular clusters in the Milky Way are all estimated to be at least 10 billion years old and therefore contain some of the galaxy's oldest stars.
Participants should dress for cool weather and bring a flashlight for the walk from the parking area to the observatory. They may also want to bring lawn chairs and binoculars, and possibly insect repellent.
The program is $4 per person for Discovery Center members, with a maximum of $16 per family. For nonmembers, the charge is $6 per person, with a maximum of $24 per family. Registration is required. Visit the Discovery Center web site to register (http://www.ridgefielddiscovery.org/) or call 203-438-1063.
If it looks as if the skies might be cloudy, check the web site after 4:00 PM for program status.