Old Hopkins Observatory & Mehlin Museum of Astronomy

Visiting the 1896 Inn in the next month and half is a great time to take advantage of visiting the local Planetarium. Late Fall and early winter weather conditions make for perfect atmospheric conditions for star and planet viewing. Grab an early dinner at the 6"House Pub or visit the Bar after the Planetarium shop for an even nightcap.

The Hopkins Observatory is the oldest existing observatory in the United States and houses the earliest Alvan Clark telescope.  In 1834, Prof. Albert Hopkins went to England, with the permission of the trustees of the college, to search for astronomical apparatus.  On his return, he enlisted some of his students to build a permanent observatory, which they constructed by hand from 1836 to 1838.  That building is now the planetarium.  It was originally located in the center of the quad but was moved to the far end in 1908 and to its present location in 1961.  Some of the original equipment from the 1834 trip to England still survives in this building.

Milham Planetarium Fall Schedule

Fridays at 7:30pm through Dec. 9

Reservations: 413-597-2188 or mcr4@williams.edu

http://astronomy.williams.edu/

Astronomy students at the college will host free shows for the public on the following Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m.: November 4, 11, 18; and December 2, 9.  Audiences will be treated to shows from the high-precision Zeiss Skymaster ZKP3/B opto-mechanical planetarium projector, installed in April 2005.

The Zeiss Skymaster is capable of demonstrating phenomena including: retrograde motions of the planets, phases of the moon, the varying temperatures/colors of stars, locations of neighboring galaxies, the mythological figures and zodiacal signs ascribed to constellations, the Southern Hemisphere’s sky, comets, artificial satellites, and much more.

Fall ’11 shows will be hosted by Williams College students Pushpanjali Giri ’14, Matthew Hosek ’12, Soraya Membreno ’12, and Muzhou Lu ’13.  Jay Pasachoff, Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy, is director of the Hopkins Observatory.

*Photo courtesy of Williams College

Fall Foliage In Williamstown!

The Berkshires are scheduled to reach peak foliage colors this coming weekend of Oct. 14 – 16, 2011.

What a time to visit Williamstown, stay at the 1896 House Inn and eat yummy food at the 6' House Pub. Sit outside by the firepit and drink a cocktail or a hot mulled cider.

Check out the latest up to date Fall Foliage reports at http://www.foliagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=34:northeast-us&Itemid=68&layout=default

Take a Hike!

Fall foliage views atop Mount Greylock, No better place to view the splendor of fall in the Berkshires than from the top of Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusets.

Or Take a Scenic Drive!

Williamstown, Mohawk Trail and Savoy State Forest Loop --- (55 miles)

■ Starting at Williamstown, proceed east on Route 2 into and through North Adams. Natural Bridge State Park is located east of North Adams off Route 2 and 8. This bridge of white marble was created by the waters of Hudson Brook.

■ East of North Adams, Route 2 is also named the Mohawk Trail, used by Native Americans of the Five Nations to pass between the Connecticut and Hudson valleys. At the Hairpin Turn, the trail rises sharply to the Western Summit. There is an observation point to view the mountains of southern Vermont and northwestern Massachusetts.

■ Continuing on Route 2 / Mohawk Trail, the next stop is Whitcomb Summit, the top of the trail, with an elevation of 2,173 feet.

■ Further along, the trail crosses a bridge and turns sharply to the left. Another road leads to the right. Here the visitor has a choice of three routes:

■ The first is to continue along the Mohawk Trail to Charlemont, Shelburne Falls, and Greenfield.

■ The second is to retrace the route back to North Adams.

■ The third is to turn into Savoy Mountain State Forest for a visit to Tannery Falls. To reach the falls, pass through Drury on Route 2, then turn right on Black Brook Road, right on Adams Road, and left on Bannis Road into Savoy Center.

■ From Savoy Center, proceed west on Route 116 to Adams. Pass throughAdams and head northbound on Route 8 to North Adams.

■ Also, East Road, which runs parallel to Route 8, gives a commanding view of Greylock Mountain, towering over Adams, a charming Victorian town with an elegantly restored Main Street.

■ Turn west on Route 2 when leaving North Adams and return to Williamstown

Drive information courtesy of http://www.visit-massachusetts.com/current_category.30/current_advcategory.292/companies_list.html