Welcome to the Westport Astronomical Society
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Keep Science In Your Community!
Join the Westport Astronomical Society and explore the night sky
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Weekly Star Parties!
Join us every clear Wednesday night from 8-10 pm
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YOUR local Observatory
Over 4 Decades of Bringing Astronomy to Fairfield County
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Introducing the WWC Lunt 100mm Solar Telescope!
See the sun like never before thanks to the Westport Women's Club Ruegg Grant
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Learn To Use Our Telescopes
Become a member and take our semi-regular telescope classes
About Us
For over 40 years, the Westport Astronomical Society has brought the wonders of the night sky to the thousands who have visited the observatory. We’re an all volunteer-run, non-profit organization that’s free and open to the public every Wednesday night from 8-10 pm if the skies are clear. Remember, near the summer solstice it doesn’t get dark until late, so please plan to come after sunset.
The Dome Observatory covers a 16″ Meade LX200 with an Explore Scientific 102mm f/7 Essential Apochromatic ED Triplet Refractor piggybacked on top. The lawn regularly hosts the HUGE 25″ Obsession telescope, the largest in Connecticut available to the public. You can also occasionally find us doing sidewalk astronomy in the community with various 8-10″ Dobsonian telescopes and we really love viewing the sun with the Lunt LS100Tha double stacked solar telescope.
WAS has free monthly meetings with experts at the top of their fields. We feature speakers from the Hayden Planetarium, The American Museum of Natural History, Yale, NYU, UConn, Cornell, Wesleyan, Columbia as well as educators from all over the globe who enrich our community with cutting-edge discussions on cosmology, physics, and astronomy. Additionally, there are additional special, private events scheduled throughout the year for our members and supporters.
Please consider supporting us and help us keep science in the community!
Upcoming Westport Astronomical Society Free Monthly Lectures
- October 17, 8pm
- November 21, 8pm
Dr. Federica Bianco, NYU
A peek into the future of astronomy, from LSST to Urban Science | Dr. Federica Bianco, Research Scientist at NYU CUSP, the Center for Urban Science and Progress, and in the NYU CCPP Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics.
I will talk about LSST, the largest astronomical survey ever planned, which starting in 2022 will image the entire southern hemisphere sky once every 3 nights to depth and spatial resolution that approach that of the Hubble Space Telescope, and about Urban Science, an emerging discipline where we use astronomical techniques to image and study city lightscapes to study the sociology, ecology, and economy of the city microcosm.
Dr. Bianco studies lightcurves, time series of light, in astronomy, with applications in stellar evolution, cosmology, and solar system science, and in the urban environment at the CUSP urban observatory, where the study of urban lightcurves enables sociological, ecological, economical inference.
She is the co-chair of the LSST Transients and Variable Stars Collaboration: a group of over 170 scientists who are preparing to optimally exploit the revolutionary LSST survey for transient science and to assure that the survey design is suitable to support the study of the transient sky.
This talk is appropriate for High School and above audiences with enough included to also engage advanced members.
Shannon Calvert
WAS Astrophotography | With Shannon Calvert
Shannon Calvert has really stepped up what was recently thought impossible with his incredible astrophotography abilities on the WAS campus. A self-employed professional photographer/graphic designer with Hireimagination.com by day, Shannon has taken his profession to a new high with incredible deep sky photography that blows away the professionals.
During this talk, Shannon will show some of his best and latest images and describe his process so that you too can learn the secrets of incredible night sky photography. This is an introduction to a future astrophotography class hosted by Shannon exclusively for our members using the equipment at the Westport Astronomical Society.
This talk is appropriate for ALL audiences with enough included to also engage advanced members.
Sky Forecast at the Observatory
Astronomy only works if you can see the sky! Check the forecasted sky conditions and see what the chances are that the observatory will be open.
Become a Member
For over 4 decades, the Westport Astronomical Society has been introducing new generations to the wonders of the night sky. Become a member today for special access to members-only benefits while helping support science in your community.
Become a MemberDirections & Talk to Us
We want to see you here at the observatory. Get directions and come to our events!
Directions/Talk To Us