The Discovery Center at Ridgefield, in conjunction with the New Pond Farm Observatory, 101 Marchant Road, West Redding, is hosting an astronomy program that is open to the public on Saturday, May 3, starting at 8:30 p.m. Saturn, with its ever magnificent rings will be entering the early evening sky and Mars, will still be relatively large from its close approach to earth. Gas giant Jupiter with its cloud bands, red spot and bright moons will be observed in the Farm's telescopes. There will be dramatic views of the craters, plains and mountains of the moon and various late winter and spring constellations will be pointed out and discussed.
Participants should dress warmly and bring a flashlight for the walk from the parking area to the observatory, and binoculars, if you have them. The observatory has a wooden deck to stand on and an adjacent heated building to warm up in. 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 website to register (http://www.ridgefielddiscovery.org/) or call 203-438-1063. If it looks as if the skies might be cloudy, check the website after 3:30 p.m. for program status.
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