Hopewell Furnace Hosting Starfest Aug. 24

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is happy to announce 2019 Star Fest program. 

The program is in partnership with the Chesmont Astronomical Society. 

This free event will be held on the grounds of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Aug. 24, from 6 to 11:30 p.m. 

Rain or cloudy skies may postpone the event to the cloud/rain dates of Sunday, Aug. 25, Saturday Aug. 31 or Sunday, Sept. 1. 

Within 24 hours of the event, the park's website will post any changes to the event due to weather.

There will be approximately 20 telescopes set up for use, looking at heavenly objects.

Here is a schedule of activities:

• 6:00 – Kid’s Corner Educational Activities;
• 7:00 – Opening comments from Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, ChesMont Astronomical Society and Pennsylvania Outdoor Lighting Council
• 7:30 – 9:15 Guest Speaker Presentations
• Speaker 1: Rob Cordivari, ChesMont Astronomical Society, "You Are Here," a look at the size and scale of the Universe
• Speaker 2: James Aguirre, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania
• 9:30 to 11:30 - Night Sky Observations

Parking is available on site. Due to the number of participants, it may require a short walk from the parking area to the observation area. Snacks will be available for purchase. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight!

Information on the event is available by calling Hopewell Furnace NHS at 610-582-8773, through the National Park Service: www.nps.gov/hofu and the ChesMont Astronomical Society at www.chesmont.org

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site preserves and interprets an early American industrial landscape and community. Showcasing an iron making community and its surrounding countryside, Hopewell Furnace was active from 1771 to 1883. 

The park’s facilities are currently open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Hopewell Furnace is located five miles south of Birdsboro, PA, off of Route 345. 

 Admission to the park is free. For more information, stop by the park's visitor center, call 610-582-8773, or visit the park's web site at www.nps.gov/hofu