The Skies of Litchfield
The Skies of Litchfield:  ISS/Endeavour

The shuttle Endeavour docked to the International Space Station.

March 21, 2008 Moving right to left in this 15 second exposure the docked shuttle/ISS combination emerge from the earth's shadow into sunlight, moving northwest to southeast in the morning sky over Litchfield Borough.

Lunar eclipse.
The Skies of Litchfield:  Lunar Eclipse

Total Lunar Eclipse on the evening of February 20.

February 20, 2008 The mostly clear skies in Litchfield County offered a great view of the subtle colors of the total lunar eclipse. This picture includes Saturn to the left and Regulus above.

Lunar eclipse.
The Skies of Litchfield:  USA 193

This fast moving bright satellite was photographed in evening twilight over western Connecticut about 28 hours before it was destroyed.

Satellite USA 193 a day before its destruction.
The Skies of Litchfield:  Iridium 76

A twilight flare.

February 19, 2008A bright flash from one of the antennae on Iridium 76 makes the otherwise dim satellite easily visible in morning twilight.

A satellite flares next to a church steeple.
 
 

Can I have a look?

Yes you can! Here is a list, along with some telescope info, of observatories and astronomy clubs in Connecticut that host viewing events where visitors are welcome:

  • Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford - Van Vleck 20-inch refractor at Wesleyan University, 2nd Saturday of the month - web site
  • Astronomical Society of New Haven, Inc. - 2nd or 3rd Friday of the month - web site
  • Boothe Memorial Astronomical Society - 16" Cassegrain and 4" Unitron Refractor, meetings 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month - web site
  • John J. McCarthy Observatory at New Milford High School - 410mm Meade LX200 reflector, 106mm Takahashi refractor, and a Meade 5” refractor customized as a solar telescope - meetings 2nd Saturday - web site
  • Leitner Family Observatory - Department of Astronomy at Yale University - 12" Meade LX200 with SBIG ST-9E CCD camera and DSS-7 spectrograph, refurbished Grubb refractor that was originally purchased by the astronomy department to observe the 1882 transit of Venus - observing 3rd Thursday, public lecture followed by observing on the 1st Thursday during the school year - web site
  • Mattatuck Astronomical Society - viewing from Waterbury (14" Celestron) 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month - viewing at White Memorial in Litchfield (17 1/2" reflector) in warmer weather, check the web site.
  • Westport Astronomical Society - 12.5-inch f/4.8 Newtonian - frequent Wednesdays and Thursdays - 25-inch Dobsonian telescope on moonless nights - web site

 
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