Join TLGV, Friends of Pachaug and CT DEEP’s No Child Left Inside program for a weekend of astronomical fun! We’re throwing a party to celebrate the Perseids Meteor shower at its peak.

Bring your family and your camping gear to Pachaug State Forest in Voluntown, CT for a FREE weekend of camping is Connecticut’s largest state forest. We will be in the youth camping area and YOU MUST REGISTER in advance. We have limited space available. Camping is FREE. You cannot attend the stargazing events if you are not camping.

Arrival is 3 pm Friday and we depart Sunday early afternoon. In between there will be plenty of family-friendly activities and plenty of time to relax and explore on your own if you like. This will also be the first chance for kids to earn TLGV’s new Junior Night Sky Ranger badge!

You may come for one night or the whole weekend. If you want to come but don’t have gear, no worries! We have limited gear – including tents – to borrow for the event.

We encourage participants to enjoy as much – or as little – of the programming as you like. Many of the stargazing events are designed for you to come and go. Please know the Perseids will be making their big arrival after midnight, although there may be some meteors earlier.

There will be many more details shared about the event to those who register. Space is limited! We will take registrations until Aug. 9 or until we hit the registration limit. To register you must call us at 860-774-3300 or email fran@tlgv.org.

The schedule as planned includes the following events. Please understand the schedule will be updated and may change.

Aug. 11

Families arrive at 3pm

4 pm – Tree line: Solar observing

8 pm – Camp Fire, S’mores Constellation Stories ++

NPS Same Stars Different Stories

Ask an Astronomer/Stump the Chump ++

9 pm – Nighttime Letterboxing

10 pm – 3 am – Night Sky viewing to include Galaxies, Nebula & Clusters, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and, of course, the Perseids Meteor Shower.

We’ll also play some night sky games and have viewing activities for those not at the telescope.

Aug. 12

1 pm – Solar observing & activities

4 pm – Intro to Astrophotography

7 pm-Buying a Telescope

8 pm – Camp fire, s’mores & Constellation Stories ++

10 pm – 3 am

Night Sky viewing to include

Galaxies, Nebula & Clusters, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and of course, the Perseids Meteor Shower.

We’ll also play some night sky games and have viewing activities for those not at the telescope.

Aug. 13

11 am –  Junior Ranger Night Explorer Badge Ceremony

1 pm – Solar observing

Any Time Activities/On Your Own

Parker Solar Probe model making

NPS Junior Ranger Badge Requirements

Word Search

Where Should Light Go

Nocturnal Animals

Using a Planisphere

Solar System Smarts

Constellation Riddles

Same Stars, Different Stories

Deep Sky Match

Star Formation Picture Jumble

Amazing Galaxy