Near Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
For years we’ve been telling you about a unique opportunity that rolls around each spring. Star Watch is held around this time for folks to gaze out into the heavens. It all takes place in a wide open field just behind Spruce Creek Gallery south of Nellysford.
Here’s all of the information you’ll need to know:
The Rockfish Valley Foundation and the Charlottesville Astronomical Society (CAS) will host an evening of astronomical observing for the public on Saturday, April 14th, beginning at 8 PM. The observing site will be the field behind Spruce Creek Gallery and Park on Glenthorne Loop in Nellysford. Visitors may bring their own telescopes or look through those brought by CAS. In case of rain or extremely cloudy weather, the event will be postponed until the following evening at the same location.
Directions:
Drive south 1.4 miles from the Valley Green Shopping Center on Rt. 151 in Nellysford to Spruce Creek Gallery and turn left onto Glenthorne Loop (Rt. 627), immediately past the gallery. Drive down Glenthorne Loop for about 2 tenths of a mile and turn left to enter the field, where you will find parking and the observing site.Among the objects of interest for observing will be Saturn (which will be at opposition, the best time to see it), Jupiter, Venus, Mars, open star clusters such as the Beehive and Double Cluster, and globular star clusters.