New England Fall Astronomy Festival (NEFAF)

New England Fall Astronomy Festival (NEFAF)
Night sky
October 16 & 17, 2026

This year's theme is Other Worlds: Life Elsewhere

At the UNH Observatory, on the UNH Durham Campus - 16 Spinney Lane
 Directions

Admission is FREE, but donations are welcome. Food and beverages available for purchase.

This website is currently being updated; more information to be added soon.

Volunteers needed at the festival? Click Here to learn how to help. 


For persons seeking accessibility accommodations or who have questions, please contact John Gianforte, john.gianforte@unh.edu prior to the event.


NEFAF Exhibitors - Saturday

  • 410 Research Laboratory
  • American Meteorological Society
  • Austin Education, LLC
  • College of Life Science and Agriculture
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy
  • Leitzel Center 
  • Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter/CRaTER 
  • McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
  • Mount Washington Weather Observatory
  • NASA Solar Sys. Ambassador S. Jensen 
  • New Hampshire Astronomical Society
  • Plymouth State University(PSU)
  • PSU Astronomy Club
  • Slooh
  • Southwest Research Institute
  • UNH Extension & 4-H
  • UNH Observatory
  • UNH’s Space Technology Hub

-


Activities (slideshow)

  • Crowd safe sun watching  at NEFAF
    Safe Solar Observing
  • Rocket Launching at NEFAF
    Rocket Building and Launching
  • Telescope clinics at NEFAF
    Telescope Clinics
  • Weather balloon Launching at NEFAF
    A weather balloon launch 
  • Kids playing with an astro game
    Kids Astro Games
  • Save Sun viewing  at NEFAF
  • Child's face being painted
    Face Painting
  • Kids playing Astro Games
    Astro Games
  • raffle tickets
    NEFAF's famous AstroRaffle 
  • man playing with toy rocket
    Kids hands-on science activities

  • 4-H Clover
Explore Astronomy Beyond The Festival with 4-H

Let us know if you or a child you know is interested 4-H Astronomy programs, like Star Parties in their community. 
Submit your name and email address to have a 4-H program manager help you get involved.  

Fill out the "Get involved in 4-H in New Hampshire" Webform


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Crowd safe sun watching  at NEFAF

The festival is for anyone who has an interest in astronomy.  Families in particular are encouraged to attend because astronomy is a great family hobby. Local amateurs, like the members of the New Hampshire Astronomical Society, share their passion and enthusiasm about astronomy with the public.

 

The lot on Spinney Lane, which is closest to the Observatory , will be used for parking.

Additional parking will be available on the right (north) side of O'Kane Road and in Mast Road Lot 2. Mast Road Lot 2 is a dirt and gravel lot that lies along Main Street and Mast Road Extension and holds approximately 150 cars.

Parking will also be available at the UNH Child Study and Development Center from 6 p.m. on Friday and all day and all night on Saturday.

 Accessible parking spots are available near the Contractor's Lot on Spinney Lane.

Overflow parking available in the Moiles Parking lot on the corner of Main Street and Mast Road Extension.

New England Astronomy Festival Parking Map

The best part about NEFAF is that you don't need to bring anything! Admission to the festival is free, although donations to the UNH Observatory are appreciated. The only costs to you would be if you'd like to purchase food or tickets for our raffle.

We will also be featuring a telescope clinic, so if you have a telescope at home that is broken or you're not quite sure how to use, you can bring that with you and have it looked at by our telescope experts. Other than that, just bring your excitement and enthusiasm!

Most of the events for NEFAF will take place on the lawns surrounding the UNH Observatory, which may be challenging for guests. If you have any questions about accessibility at NEFAF or would like to request accommodations, please email John Gianforte, john.gianforte@unh.edu, prior to the event.

Unfortunately, the full breadth of NEFAF's events will only be able to occur if the weather cooperates. In the case of cloud cover, but no precipitation, NEFAF will be held without its weather-dependent activities, such as solar and night-time observing. If there is cloud cover with light rain, most of our talks and presentations will most likely still be held without the outdoor activities. In the case of heavy rain or storms, the event may need to be cancelled. Please check our website and Facebook page for weather updates and information.

 

New Hampshire Astronomical Society logo

 

Donations are very much-appreciated to keep the New England Fall Astronomy Festival going for years to come. These donations go directly to help fund NEFAF. Thank you in advance!

Please click the "Donate" button and select "additional or multiple funds" and click on "Physics & Astronomy Festival Gift Fund".

Donate

 

 

  • People standing around the UNH observatory
History of the New England Fall Astronomy Festival
  • 2024 New England fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring Heidi Hammel, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)
  • 2022 New England fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring Sara Seager, MIT and Alex Filippenko, UC, Berkeley
  • 2018 New England Fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring  Planetary Physicist Fran Bagenal, University of Colorado 
  • 2016 New England Fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring  Senior Astronomer Seth Shostak, SETI Institute
  • 2014 New England Fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring  Imaging Science Team Leader Carolyn Porco, NASA's Cassini Mission,  sponsors & participants
  • 2013 New England Fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring acclaimed history of science author and journalist  Dava Sobelsponsors& participants
  • 2012 New England Fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring UC-Berkeley professor and noted astronomer Alex Fillippenko, sponsors & participants
  • 2011 New England Fall Astronomy Festival
    featuring NASA astronaut and UNH alumnus Lee Morin, sponsors & participants

 

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are an important part of NEFAF. Click the button and fill out the form to apply.  Opportunities include operating telescopes, running kids games, selling raffle tickets, assisting with parking, setting up booths, and cleaning up. Astronomy knowledge not required, just a desire to help. 

Volunteer Form