Aurora Borealis from Long Island, NY

Aurora Borealis seen from New York

Cedar Beach, Mt. Sinai, Long Island, NY

June 23, 2015

On June 22, 2015 Space Weather Live put out a KP index of 7. In order to see an Aurora from Long Island the KP index needs to be a 7 or higher. I saw a reading as high as KP8.67 in the early morning hours of June 23, 2015. Although the Aurora was not seen visually I continued to take photos of the dark sky in hopes of capturing something of the Aurora. It is rare to capture and see an Aurora from Long Island, NY. Although the seeing was not optimal I was able to capture enough of the Aurora to confirm it from Long Island. 

Special Thanks to Elias Bonaros for  the Aurora alert and help confirming the final Aurora photos.

The following photos were taken between one and two am in the morning.

1:15am Some green above the Sky-glow of Connecticut.

1:24am - Some dark pupleish-red appears visible above the green of the Aurora

1:27am - The Aurora appears in the north under the Constellation Cassiopeia.

1:45am

1:46am

1:47am

1:48am

2:08am - The Aurora seemed to dissipate after 2 am. Green no longer seen above the Connecticut sky-glow.

Custer Observatory - New Years Eve Party!

NEW YEARS EVE UNDER THE STARS

Come and celebrate 2015 with us! 

    Where: Custer Institute and Observatory

    
    When: Wed., December 31, 2014   8:00pm 

     
    What: Dinner, Music, Desert, Hats, Noisemakers
                & Champagne Toast at midnight!

Now in its 10th year! There's no better way to celebrate another trip around the sun than being at Custer's New Years Eve party! Refreshments include a buffet, desserts, and beverages (you're welcome to bring your favorite dish or dessert to add to the buffet). Dance to live r&b, jazz, and favorites by Ahmad Ali and Friends. Champagne toast at midnight and more!

Ahmed Ali and Friends

Seats are limited! The easiest way to reserve yours is by going to custerobservatory.org/newyears.htm

Do NOT call for reservations - we are only there Saturdays. 

$30 Members
$45 Non-Members
$25 Students
$15 Children 12 and under.

If you are unable or completely against registering and paying online via paypal from Custer’s website, you MUST at least RSVP so a place can be saved to any of the following people:

David Van Popering: dobsoniandave@gmail.com

Justine Haupt: justine.haupt@gmail.com

Bill Crispino: wcrispino@verizon.net

 Hope to see you there!

 

Custer Observatory New Year's Eve Party

Custer Observatory 

NEW YEAR'S EVE UNDER THE STARS

December 31, 2013 - January 1, 2014

Ahmad Ali and Friends

Ann and Rico Verticchio

Alan Cousins, Justine Haupt, Rich Huber & David VanPoppering

John and Christine Speroni

Justine Haupt and David VanPoppering

? and Alan Cousins

Bill Crispino

Galaxy Rise

I created this composite from two photographs. My own version of Galaxy Rise!

Fireflies and Constellations

Fireflies in Southold

Surrounding Custer Observatory is a large field owned by the Town of South. In the last few weeks there has been a noticeable burst of activity in the field at dusk! Thousands of Fire Flies are in flight across the field at dusk looking for a mate! I am new to observing Fire Flies although I remember them from childhood. I never gave them the closer look that they deserved after capturing them and putting them in a jar. My only goal at that time was to watch the blinking of their soft light in the dark. 

I recently became aware of a reported decline in our Fire Fly population and a Citizen Science project to keep track of Fire Fly populations across the United States. Seeing a friend, Steve Bellavia, post a photo of this night-time flurry of activity reminded me of the Citizen Science project and thought I should add the Custer location to the map of this project.

On subsequent nights I decided to try my hand at more night-time photography and photograph the soft light of the night-time flight of these fascinating childhood insects. At the same time I decided to catch some and put them in a large jar, something I have not done since I was young, only this time it was in the interest of science! I brought them indoors to photograph them and try to identify the species based on a photo ID page on on the Museum of Science's Firefly Watch website. According to their photos I had caught a Photorus firefly.

These fireflies produce a green light. In the sky is the constellation Scorpius and the straight blinking line in the sky is an airplane.

These fireflies produce a green light. In the sky is the constellation Scorpius and you can see part of the Milky Way on the left side of the image.

These fireflies produce a green light. In the sky is the constellation Scorpius, part of the Milky Way  and the straight blinking line in the sky is an airplane.

These fireflies produce a green light. In the sky is the constellation Scorpius and the straight blinking line in the sky is an airplane.

These fireflies produce a green light. In the sky is the constellation Scorpius and the straight blinking line in the sky is an airplane.

The Custer dome was rotating at the time of this timed exposure, a happy accident, so the dome opening appears larger then it is.

North East Astronomy Forum (NEAF) April 28th - 29th, 2012

Custer Institute & Amateur Observers Society Attend The North East Astronomy Forum

Members from Custer Institute and Amateur Observers Society (AOS) shared a table at the 21st Anniversary Forum of NEAF which was held at Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY. It was a great event lasting two days with great speakers and everything Astronomy! Custer passed out info on our upcoming Astronomy Jamboree this fall and AOS handed out information on their organization. This was a great event to see all the latest in telescopes, solarscopes and astronomy related merchandise!

Custer Members
Front 'Row: Steve Bellavia, David Barnett, Megan ?, Justine Haupt
Back Row: David Van Poppering, ? ,  ?

AOS members

Some of the Newest Telescopes Available

 

Antique Telescopes

Antique Space Toys and Gadgets

Solarscopes: Observing the Sun

At the AOS/CusterTable

Other Venders and Organizations at NEAF

Jeff Norwood from Camera Concepts in Patchogue, NY

Some Educators from one of my groups, Astronomy From The Ground Up, representing
Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the Night Sky Network

 

From TALONS: The Barred Owl

From TALONS: The Great Horned Owl (Love the expression!)