Can You See the Stars? Participate in this Citizen Science World Wide Event!!

The Custer Observatory in Southold will be participating in the "Globe @Night" world wide event. 

Globe at Night is an annual citizen-science campaign that encourages people all over the world to record the brightness of their night sky. For two weeks every March, when the Moon is not out during the early evening and the constellation of Orion can be seen by everyone everywhere, children and adults match the appearance of Orion with 7 star maps of progressively fainter stars found on the website, www.globeatnight.org. They then submit their measurements (e.g., which star map they chose) on-line with their date, time and location.

GLOBE at Night 2011 Campaign dates announced

• February 21 – March 6, 2011, Northern and Southern Hemispheres
• March 22 – April 4, 2011, Northern Hemisphere
• March 24 – April 6, 2011, Southern Hemisphere

Lights at night can impact both the biology and ecology of species in the wild. Some examples include:

• the disorientation of sea turtle hatchlings by beachfront lighting
• nesting choices and breeding success of birds
• behavioral and physiological changes in salamanders
• disturbances of nocturnal animals
• altered natural light regimes in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

Families are encouraged to participate with their children in a global campaign to observe and record the magnitude of visible stars as a means of measuring light pollution in a given location. Globe @ Night is an easy observation and reporting activity that takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete with your student and/or other members of your family. 

 

Flashlight represents our street lights that cause light pollution when light is emitted in the areas that are not needed.

Example of same flashlight where the light emitted is directed to the areas where it is needed and shielded to the areas it is not.

 
Go to Globe @ Night Website for more information about this event: www.globeatnight.org/


Visit www.custerobservatory.org for more information about our programs and directions!

Custer Observatory Hosts Scout & School Groups for Tours & Programs

Steve Bellavia and David Barnett did a great program on Astronomy at the Custer Observatory for Camp Quinnepet. Dave B. presented a Power Point with many of the images he photographed himself of the night sky with his camera and a telescope. Steve Bellavia also presented a Power Point on the history of Custer, how a telescope works and the variety of telescopes that can be used for stargazing. After the presentation the students got to go outside to look at a giant pair of binoculars and up to the dome to see Custer's large 25 inch Obsession Telescope.

David Barnett explains and shows how Custer's Dome works.

Steve Bellevia explains how the dome telescope works.

Video Conference given by Edna DeVore from the Kepler Science Team

Had a great video conference given by Edna DeVore from the Kepler Science Team about the Kepler Mission that is searching for other habitable planets!  There are a few Citizen Science projects that are going on and you can help to look for transiting planets. Proposals are due in February and is for Scientists and avid amateur astronomers. The Kepler mission recently found the first rocky planet, Kepler 10-B, and in February all the Kepler data will be released publicly. There were some great images many available on their website.  More info at http://Kepler.nasa.gov/

Custer Observatory on Yahoo Groups

JOIN THE CUSTER INSTITUTE OBSERVERS ON YAHOO GROUPS [custerobservers]

If you are interested in or would like to learn more about Astronomy join The Custer Institute Observers on Yahoo Groups [custerobservers]. Learn about new observations and upcoming events at Custer Observatory or just ask questions of the Observatory Staff and members.

Many Thanks to Lisa & Danielle - The AUREUS DUO

Many Thanks to Lisa and Danielle for a Spectacular Performance!

 

Violinist, Lisa Casal-Galietta, and pianist, Danielle Errico, gave a great performance of Mozart's Sonata for piano and violin in G Major kv 301, Faure's Romance in B flat Major, Op. 2, and Guillaume Lekeu's Sonata in G Major last Saturday, November 20th at the Custer Observatory. 

 

November 13, 2010 Program at the Custer Observatory

Jeff Norwood's Program on 

"HOW TO USE YOUR TELESCOPE"

Jeff Norwood, from Camera Concepts in Patchogue, did an excellent program to a packed house at Custer Observatory in Southold last night on "HOW TO USE YOUR TELESCOPE"!  

Thank you Jeff!

 

COMET HARTLEY Video Clip from CUSTER OBSERVATORY

Custer Observatory has a Computer Controlled Telescope which can take still images of the night sky. The still images were put into a  Flash file to create a video clip of Comet Hartley's movement across the night sky.