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APEC to host annual solstice party

By Tom Momberg

The Alley Pond Environmental Center is preparing for its annual Winter Solstice Star Party from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Members of the community are encouraged to dress warmly and come out to experience the astronomical event.

The winter solstice has historically been celebrated by many cultures, as it welcomes the rebirth of the sun on the shortest day of the year. The Yuletide event was celebrated by Romans as a day for feasting on Dec. 25—the birthday of the invincible sun.

The day was later Christianized, selected to represent the birthday of Jesus. But the solstice is an event people of any culture or belief system can recognize and celebrate.

In the city, where light pollution is prominent, the long dark nights of the solstice are the best time of year for star gazing.

APEC’s solstice party is scheduled two days before the actual solstice and start of winter. Astronomer Mark Freilich is set to host the event and point out the star constellations only seen in the Northern Hemisphere for a short time in winter.

The environmental center said it will have a professional telescope set up so people can observe the Orion constellation; the double open star cluster Perseus; the Winter triangle of stars, which includes the bright star Sirius and “the North Star;” as well as what will be left of the Geminid meteor shower, which is expected to peak this Sunday.

The event is open to APEC members for $9 or $15 for non members. Participants are being encouraged to bring their own telescopes or binoculars and take the time to ask Freilich questions about the night sky.