GRAFTON – The Willard House and Clock Museum and the Grafton Public Library will present the James Webb Space Telescope + Stargazing Party on Wednesday, July 26, at the museum, 11 Willard St., from 7 p.m. to after dark.
This event, which is free and open to the public, was supported by the Webster First Federal Credit Union.
NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador M.J. Johnson will present the non-technical talk on the James Webb Space Telescope, followed immediately afterward by a “star party,” hosted in partnership with the Aldrich Astronomical Society, one of the oldest amateur astronomy clubs in the U.S.
This presentation and event are appropriate for all ages.
“In 2021, humanity successfully initiated the most ambitious, complicated and expensive telescope ever conceived, and began a new era of discovery unlike any before it,” said Johnson. “The James Webb Space Telescope (or JWST) has begun returning images to us that stretch the limits of our very understanding.”
“This presentation will provide context for what we’ve begun learning from the JWST as it looks toward the very beginning of our universe. These images offer as much beauty to the public as they offer insight to scientists eager to pull back the veil on events in our cosmos to which we’ve never before had access,” he added.
After the talk, members of the Aldrich Astronomical Society will be available to help navigate the starry night (weather permitting) and to share views of the heavens through their telescopes.
The Grafton Public Library will also be on site with its expanded telescope loaner collection, and it will explain how to borrow the instruments. Astronomical resources, including books, magazines, movies, music and kits will be available for checkout to help families discover the beauty of the night sky for themselves.
Guests are encouraged to register at http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/friend.cfm?curOrg=GRAFTON&tEvt=7266282&tfPopup=1.
