Astronomy series continues March 31 at Whiting

The Southern Vermont Astronomy Group continues its astronomy mini-series at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 31 at the Whiting Library, 117 Main St. in Chester.

Rick Bates will present a talk on archeoastronomy. This will include an overview of information that the ancients learned about the skies and how it was used in navigation. Also discussed will be a variety of ancient legends, myths and beliefs about the sun, the moon, the planets and the constellations, which were a normal part of the night sky in earlier centuries.

If the skies cooperate after the presentation, binoculars and telescopes will be set up for the audience to observe some of the celestial wonders that our Vermont skies provide.

Also in the series, held at 6 p.m. on Fridays:

• April 7 – How Do We Know What We Know?
  Rick Hunter will begin to answer the question: “How can we really start to know anything about what at first glance appears as only some very small, quite faint dots in the night sky?”
• April 14 – Telescope Basics + Using the Whiting Telescope
  SoVerA members will review basic optics, how to choose a telescope, and how to enjoy the Whiting telescope, which is available to Library members to check out and use. This will be a hands-on demonstration.