Comments and anecdotes about the event:
John Kocur joined Francine Jackson and Jim Hendrickson for our 2021 inaugural night at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge. This was our first night at the farm in over two years, after the EEE-infected mosquitoes cancelled the second half of the 2019 season and the COVID-19 pandemic all of the 2020 season. Conducted in collaboration with the National Park Service, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Blackstone Heritage Corridor, the River Bend Farm nights were started by Kent Cameron over 20 years ago and have been a seasonal highlight for the participants and visitors alike. This week, about 15 guests of all ages braved the humidity and mosquitoes to view the night sky with us. It has been a rarity to have ideal weather conditions at River Bend Farm nights over the past several years, and this one was no exception, with mostly cloudy conditions prevailing for the entire session. A band of clear, but hazy, sky opened in the southeast long enough for everyone to get a good look at Jupiter and Saturn. A bit later, a clear spot opened overhead, giving a brief view of Vega and Epsilon Lyrae, and not much else. Surprisingly, some late season fireflies were putting on a show at the eastern edge of the field towards the canal. Despite the less than ideal weather conditions, all had a good time and are looking forward to returning for another night in September and October.