The Westport Observatory, run by the volunteers of the Westport Astronomical Society brings the night sky down to the thousands who visit annually. We’re a non-profit that’s free and open to the public every Wednesday night from 8-10 pm if the skies are clear. We do suggest a donation of $5 per person if you're not a member. In-person or zoom lectures on the 3rd Tuesday monthly.
#Astronomy #Observatory #WestportCT #WestportObservatory #nonprofit #astrophotography #WestportAstronomicalSociety
Artemis 2 is coming home! The Orion spacecraft splashes down off San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET tonight. All four astronauts are expected to be aboard a U.S. Navy ship within two hours. NASA is confident in the mission despite heat shield concerns and leaking helium valves — a fix that'll be required before Artemis 4's lunar mission in 2028. Historic spaceflight history in the making!
https://spacenews.com/nasa-prepares-for-artemis-2-return/
#Artemis2 #NASA #Orion #SpaceExploration #Splashdown
The Westport Astronomical Society Amateur Radio Club K1WAS installed a Meshcore repeater at the Westport Observatory this weekend. Conrad N2YCH, Dan N3DAW & Peter K1PCN have the node running atop the Observatory Tower, connecting Fairfield County to the rest of CT. Check out today's CT Post article for the full story!
#K1WAS #AmateurRadio #Meshcore #EmComm #CTMesh #WestportAstronomicalSociety #WestportObservatory #WestportCT #CTPost #73
Weekly Wednesday Star Party is ON tonight, 4/8 — NO Moon, perfect for deep sky viewing! Catch Orion's last bow, brilliant Venus low on the horizon, and Jupiter overhead. We open after 8pm.
👉 https://was-ct.org/programs/public-viewing/
Photo: WAS Member Dr. Steven Labkoff
#StarParty #Astronomy #NightSky #Stargazing #WestportCT #WestportObservatory #DeepSky #Orion #Venus #Jupiter #Connecticut #LookUp
What a day for our seismograph! The WAS seismometer picked up 4 significant earthquakes today — M5.9 & M5.4 Kermadec Islands, M5.8 Solomon Islands, M5.7 Sumatra. And Tuesday, one of the world's leading seismic specialists Professor Alan Kafka joins us in person at the Westport Observatory at 8pm to explain why the earth shakes — even here in New England.
Too many clouds in the forecast to have any fun tonight at the Westport Observatory! The WAS Weekly Wednesday Star Party is cancelled for 4/22 — we're keeping our volunteers cozy at home until the skies cooperate. We hope to see you under the stars next week!
#StarParty #Astronomy #WAS #Stargazing #NightSky #ClearSkies #Connecticut #WestportObservatory #Cancelled #WestportCT
Our seismograph is still trembling from this morning's M7.4 off Japan — our USGS equipment captured every wave. Tsunami threat cancelled, but the ground is still shaking. Almost like the planet is putting on a show for our special guest! Earthquake expert Professor Alan Kafka joins us IN PERSON tomorrow, Tuesday April 21 at 8pm at Westport Observatory.
https://was-ct.org/events/alan-kafka/
#WestportObservatory #Earthquake #Seismology #EarthScience #Japan #WestportCT
The WAS February Field of View is here!
Catch up on everything happening at the Westport Astronomical Society — upcoming star parties, lectures, astrophotography highlights, K1WAS and what’s lighting up the winter sky.
If you love space (and who doesn’t?), this one’s worth the click.
Read it here: https://mailchi.mp/was-ct/fov-february-2026
#WestportAstronomicalSociety #WAS #FieldOfView #Astronomy #Stargazing #Connecticut #SpaceNews #Astrophotography #NightSky #Astrodon
THRILLED to announce the Westport Astronomical Society has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the incredible Women's League of Westport! This gift funds our Observatory's classroom AV upgrade - bringing better science to our community. The WLW uplifts all of Westport, from Sunday's 47th Annual Minute Man Race to so much more. THANK YOU, WLW!
#WestportAstronomicalSociety #WomensLeagueOfWestport #WestportObservatory #WestportCT #GivingBack #ThankYou
Total Lunar Eclipse Week!
On March 3, the full Moon slips into Earth’s shadow, glowing copper-red in a total lunar eclipse. No telescope needed — just clearer skies than the rain/snow currently threatening. Of course.
When it clears: Jupiter shines after sunset, Orion and M42 dazzle, and planetary pairings grace the evening sky.
#LunarEclipse #SkyandTelescope #WestportObservatory #Jupiter #Orion #Mercury #Venus #WestportCT
NASA targets April 1st for Artemis II — first crewed Moon mission since Apollo. A solar flare means a CME arrives right at liftoff. The good news? It's a glancing blow, low on energetic particles — probably not a dealbreaker. The wildcard: sunspot AR4405 is still active. More X-flares could force a schedule rethink. 🌞 Stay tuned.
👉 https://spaceweather.com/
#Artemis2 #NASA #SpaceWeather #SolarStorm
WAS welcomes back Dr. Lisa Upton (SwRI) for her 3rd lecture with us! How well did we predict Solar Cycle 25; and what comes next? Join us March 17 at 8PM in the Westport Observatory's classroom (we'd love to see you!) and if you can't join us there watch live on YouTube, or via a Zoom webinar.
was-ct.org/events/solar-cycle-25-update/
#Astronomy #SolarPhysics #SpaceWeather #SolarCycle25 #Heliophysics #STEM #WomenInSTEM #WestportObservatory #WestportAstronomicalSociety
Do you feel the ground move beneath your feet? Tonight we do. Join us Tuesday April 21 at 8pm as Professor Alan Kafka talks earthquakes in the Eastern US — why they happen and where they'll strike next.
In person at Westport Observatory. https://was-ct.org/events/alan-kafka/
#WestportAstronomicalSociety #WestportObservatory #Earthquake #Seismology #ScienceLecture #EarthScience
Finally Spring... and Summer and Fall! The April 2026 Field of View is here.
Stunning astrophotography from our incredibly talented members. Upcoming events at Westport Observatory you won't want to miss. Fascinating science lectures on the horizon. And so much more waiting inside.
The universe has a lot going on this month — find out what's in store. Read it today. https://mailchi.mp/was-ct/fov-april-2026
#WestportAstronomicalSociety #FieldOfView #Astrophotography #WestportObservatory #Astronomy #Stargazing
Tonight 3/18, just one day past the equilux — when day and night hold equal measure, the Westport Observatory opens at 8:00 PM for a final look at the winter sky.
With a new moon conditions are ideal for exploring distant galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae, along with planets Venus, Jupiter, and Uranus. Dress warmly for outdoor viewing. https://was-ct.org/programs/public-viewing/
#WestportObservatory #StargazingTonight #WinterSky #NewMoon #Astronomy #NightSky #Equilux #StarParty #Venus #Jupiter #Uranus
The WAS March Field of View is here! Stunning astrophotography, mini-split HVAC upgrades (thanks to a donation from Gault Family Companies!), new AV streaming, an all-sky camera & more. Plus — star parties and an astrophotography class later this month!
👉 https://mailchi.mp/was-ct/fov-march-2026
Thanks to our members & community for making it happen!
#WestportAstronomicalSociety #FieldOfView #Astronomy #Astrophotography #AllSkyCam #WestportCT #Gault #CommunitySupport
A 2.3 magnitude earthquake was detected near Sleepy Hollow, NY this morning at 10:17 a.m. — picked up by the USGS seismometer at the Westport Observatory. Sleepy Hollow sits about 30 miles from the Connecticut border. Did you feel it? 👇
https://patch.com/connecticut/across-ct/earthquake-reportedly-felt-ct-did-you-feel-it
#Earthquake #SleepyHollow #NewYork #Connecticut #DidYouFeelIt #USGS
Well… that’s a no from the sky.
Clouds, drizzle, and general February murk mean the Westport Observatory will be closed tonight, 2/18. No stars. No planets. Just gray.
We’ll be back next week for the WAS Weekly Wednesday Star Party — and hopefully under something that actually resembles a sky.
🌧️ We expect clouds, rain, and a chance of thunder this evening (3/11). Unfortunately the WAS Weekly Wednesday Star Party is cancelled tonight. We'll try again next week! was-ct.org
Shaking in Nevada, felt in Westport! 🌍 Our seismometer at WAS picked up last night's magnitude 5.7 earthquake near Reno, NV — from over 2,700 miles away. The seismic waves arrived at our station (WSPT), clear as a bell. We don't just watch the skies — we watch the ground too! Full story: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/13/us/quake-tracker-nevada.html #Earthquake #Seismology #Nevada #Reno #WestportAstronomicalSociety #Citizen Science
🌕 History TODAY! Artemis 2 swings around the Moon with closest approach at 7:02 p.m. ET — just 6,550 km above the surface. Minutes later, the crew breaks the all-time human distance record at nearly 406,800 km, surpassing Apollo 13's 1970 mark. Four astronauts spend 7 hours observing the lunar landscape and watching a solar eclipse from space. The future of deep space exploration is now.
🔗 nasa.gov/artemis
#Artemis2 #NASA #Moon #DeepSpace
We celebrated at the observatory with our Artemis II launch party — and NASA delivered a show worth celebrating! The crew has left Earth's inner magnetic field and entered the magnetotail, a comet-like stretch of our planet's magnetic field millions of kilometers long that humans have never visited. The Moon electrifies dust there monthly — and Artemis II is heading right into it. Truly going where no one has gone before! https://spaceweather.com/ #ArtemisII #NASA #MoonMission #LaunchParty
The Westport Observatory's USGS seismic equipment picked up the big M 7.5 earthquake near Neiafu, Tonga this morning. Want to know more about earthquakes — particularly those here in New England? Alan Kafka visits us in April to talk about them!
https://was-ct.org/events/alan-kafka/
#Earthquake #Seismology #Tonga #NewEngland #WestportObservatory #USGS #AlanKafka #ScienceTalk #Geoscience #EarthScience
SEISMIC ALERT — This morning at 8:16 AM eastern, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, approximately 1,900 miles from Westport Observatory. Our USGS monitoring equipment detected the significant temblor in real time. There is no danger of a tsunami from this event. https://was-ct.org/science/seismometer/
#Earthquake #Seismology #MidAtlanticRidge #USGS #SeismicActivity #EarthquakeAlert #NoTsunami #WestportObservatory #Geology #SeismicMonitoring
Stargazers, bittersweet news — our 2026 Messier Marathon at Westport Observatory is cancelled. Today's the first day of spring, and spring showed up RIGHT on cue with clouds and rain to shut us down! We were ready to chase all 110 Messier objects, but Mother Nature had other plans. Clear skies ahead! https://was-ct.org/
#MessierMarathon #WestportObservatory #Astronomy #Stargazing #Equinox #Spring #Messier
WAS welcomes back Dr. Lisa Upton to our science lecture series! How well did we predict Solar Cycle 25 — and what comes next? Join us tonight, March 17 at 8PM in our classroom, live on YouTube, or via Zoom webinar.
was-ct.org/events/solar-cycle-25-update/
#Astronomy #SolarPhysics #SpaceWeather #SolarCycle25 #Heliophysics #STEM #WomenInSTEM #WestportObservatory #WestportAstronomicalSociety
A couple of small Connecticut earthquakes showed up on the seismic equipment at the Westport Observatory this morning, 3/15. You can see the 2.1M and 1.9M blips at 8:21AM and 8:26AM on the right side of the graph. https://patch.com/connecticut/thehaddams-killingworth/2-earthquakes-hit-ct-did-you-feel-them
Major upgrade at the Westport Observatory — made possible by Gault Family Companies, who covered 50% of our new mini-split systems plus installation! 🙌 We're saying goodbye to inefficient resistive heating and hello to serious energy savings on our $600+/month electric bills. A huge thank you to the Gault team for their professionalism, and to our amazing members for making it happen! 💙
#WestportObservatory #Astronomy #EnergyEfficiency #MiniSplit #CommunitySupport #LocalBusiness #Gault
WAS member Carl Lancaster presents a deep dive into N.I.N.A. — the free software that automates your entire astrophotography night! Join us Monday, March 31st at 7:30 PM in the Westport Observatory Classroom. Covers major features, setup & a live demo.
Seating is VERY limited — sign up now! was-ct.org/events/nina
The WAS Away Team is on the road tonight, 4/23! We're setting up telescopes at Aquila's Nest Winery in Newtown for a stellar evening. 🍷 Sip delicious wine while gazing at the Moon, Jupiter & Venus — where fine wine and the universe align! Join us!
📍 Aquila's Nest Winery, Newtown
🔗 https://www.aquilasnestvineyards.com/service-page/dark-sky-telescopes-stargazing-party?referral=service_list_widget
#Stargazing #WineAndStars #NightSky #Jupiter #Venus #StarParty #AquilasNestWinery #Newtown
Al Papsun's photography show opens THIS Saturday, March 21, 2–5 PM at Connecticut Hospice in Branford! Over 50 photos on display, live jazz by Ben Papsun & Nigel Regan, plus free refreshments & desserts. 20% of proceeds benefit the hospice. Come enjoy art for a great cause!
#Photography #ArtShow #Branford #Connecticut #CTEvents #OpeningReception
A shoutout to our friends at the Westport Library! Staples High School students offer free drop-in homework help for elementary and middle schoolers — Monday through Thursday, 4–7pm in the Children's Library. Sign up and just bring your work. What a great community resource!
https://westportlibrary.org/event/near-peer-homework-help/2026-03-05/
#WestportLibrary #Westport #HomeworkHelp #WestportCT #Community
