The Margret and H.A. Rey Center in Waterville Valley extends an invitation to the first annual Rey Center Star Party. This fun family event will take place on Saturday, July 12 from 7:30-11:00 p.m. at the Curious Gourds Garden in Thornton, NH (located 1 mile up Sandwich Notch Road off of Route 49), with a rain date of Sunday, July 13.

Come view the stars as H.A. Rey loved to see them! Our Star Party will begin with a catered BBQ picnic dinner and dessert followed by an informative and interactive program introducing the basics of Astronomy. Once the sun has set, we will view stars, planets, galaxies and more through several telescopes. Star Guides will be on hand at each telescope to explain the wonders of the night sky.

There are many highlights of the summer night sky that Star Party attendees can view and enjoy. One prominent feature of the summer sky is the Summer Triangle, connecting three bright stars in different constellations: Vega in the constellation Lyra (the harp), Deneb in the constellation Cygnus (the swan), and Altair in the constellation Aquilla (the eagle). Together, these stars form this conspicuous triangle, which is visible throughout the summer. Star-gazers will also have the opportunity to view the planet Jupiter, which rises in the east as the sun sets and will be visible throughout the night. The constellation Scorpius, the scorpion, is another familiar site in our summer sky that people can easily learn to identify.  These are just a few of the features that will party goers will be able to observe through binoculars, telescopes or even with the naked eye.

Margret and H.A. Rey, authors of the Curious George children's book series and former summer residents of Waterville Valley, NH, were artists and adventurers, historians and naturalists, gardeners and stewards. H.A. Rey was an avid astronomer and authored two popular astronomy books, The Stars: A New Way to See Them and Finding Constellations. Today their spirit lives on in the Margret and H.A. Rey Center, a non-profit organization in Waterville Valley, NH dedicated to honoring the Reys' legacy through art, science, and adventure programs for all ages.

Tickets for the Rey Center Star Party are $30 per person and can be purchased by contacting the Margret and H.A. Rey Center at http://www.reycenter.org or 603-236-3308. All proceeds benefit the education programs of the Margret and H.A Rey Center.