Conny in
the sky

For nearly five decades, Conny was a familiar landmark on Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford, where The Children’s Museum and Gengras Planetarium shared a home. The life-size, 20-ton ferro-cement sperm whale became part of the identity of the site and a familiar presence for generations of families.

Conny was constructed in 1975–1976 entirely through volunteer labor under the guidance of the organization that would become Cetacean Society International (CSI).

Created during the growing movement to protect whales from commercial hunting, Conny became a powerful symbol of conservation and public awareness.

Upon its completion, legendary WTIC radio personality Bob Steele famously described the effort as “the biggest amateur construction job since Noah built the Ark.”

That same era brought special recognition to the sperm whale in Connecticut. In 1975, the Connecticut General Assembly designated it the official state animal.

Although the original sculpture no longer survives intact, Conny’s story continues—in the night sky.

Cetus, the Whale, is one of the largest constellations in the sky. Its pattern of stars lends itself remarkably well to the familiar shape of a sperm whale, creating a natural celestial connection to Conny. From Connecticut, Cetus can be seen rising into the southern evening sky during the cooler months of the year.

CASE will carry that connection forward through Conny in the sky. The constellation provides a lasting link between a beloved part of the Gengras Planetarium experience and a new generation exploring astronomy and space.

In collaboration with Cetacean Society International, Conny’s story and digital record may also become part of the Gengras Planetarium archives, preserving another important chapter of its history for future generations.

Through CASE, that familiar whale now becomes a bridge between past and future—a Connecticut icon carried forward among the stars.