NYSkies
Astronomy Inc |
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NYC EVENTS FOR JUNE 2018
-----------------------
John Pazmino
NYSkies Astronomy Inc
nyskies@nyskies.org
www.nyskies.org
The following astronomy activities in the commuting ring enclosing
New York City are operated by various organizations. A few cultural
items of special importance to City astronomers are also included.
Altho NYC Events confirms the listed items, they are subject to
change by their sponsors. Check with their contacts. Let the sponsor
know that you learned of its event thru NYC Events.
Frequently asked questions and explanation of NYC Events is at
'www.nyskies.org/nyc-faq.htm'.
You may ask for previous NYC Events thru 'nyskies@nyskies.org'
because only the current issue is in the website. It is replaced by
next month's issue.
For events which missed NYC Events, check the NYSkies Yahoogroup
forum. Join NYSkies by visiting 'www.nyskies.org/yahoo.htm' and
picking either the email or website option.
All hours are Eastern Dayulight Savings Time (UT - 4h) .
General notes
----------- /
'whole City' means the event has no specific or dedicated place.
It may be enjoyed from the whole NYSkies territory or at a number of
individual places. Celestial events are typicly 'whole City' events.
'all day' means the event is continuous or repeating during the
open hours of the host facility. Facilities may have limited hours per
day or days per week. Check with the event contacts.
'adv regn reqd',for 'advance registration required/requested'
means that the event requires or requests signing up before the event.
You must have your ticket in hand at the gate. There could be a
deadline some days before the event, after which no more signups are
accepted. Check with the event contact for specifics.
Prices cited are the 'rack rate'. You could qualify for discounts
As may be offered by the sponsor. Besides the base price there may be
noptional extra fees to consider.
Current Month calendar
--------------------
Plain dates are in current month;
-, previous month; +, next month.
Moon phase: .NM., .FQ), (FM), (LQ.
Sunset is noted for each Saturday
---------------------------------
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sunset
------------------------------------------------
-27 -28 -(29) -30 -31 1 2 20:22
3 4 5 (6. 7 8 9 20:26
10 11 12 .13. 14 15 16 20:29
17 18 19 .20) 21 22 23 20:31
24 25 26 ( 27) 28 29 30 20:31
------------------------------------------------
Index of Events
-------------
* = NASA-JPL Night Sky Network affiliate
Date = entry in 'list of events' section
'0' = entry in 'ongoing and continuing events' section
'S/O',= entry in 'skipped, Sep/Oct resumption' section
'M/A' = entry in 'skipped, Mar/Apr resumption' secrion // '???' =
entry in 'skipped, uncertain resumption' seciton
------- -----------------------------------------------
BROOKLYN - BK
*Floyd Bennett Field - - - 15
Parade of Trains - - - - 16-17
Secret Science Club - - - 0
CONNECTICUT - CT
*A S of Gtr Hartford - - S/O
Astro Soc of Greenwich - S/O
*Astro Soc of New Haven - 26
Bowman Observatory - - - 6, 20
*Litchfield Hills AAC mtg 8
*Litchfield Hills starvg - 15
*McCarthy Observatory - - 9
New Pond Farm - - - - - - ???
Stamford Observatory - - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
*Van Vleck Obsy (ASGH) - - 16
Van Vleck Obsy (WU) - - - S/O
Western CT St Univ Obsy - S/O
*Westport Astro Soc mtg - 19
*Westport Astro Soc starvg 6, 13, 20, 27
-------------------------
Boothe Meml Astro Soc - 203-377-9933,
www.facebook.com/Boothe-Memorial-Astronomical-Society
LONG ISLAND - LI
*Amateur Observers Soc - - 3
Amer Instt Aero & Astro - 20
Astro Soc of Long Island 6, 13, 20, 27
Brookhaven National Lab - ???
Custer Institute - - - - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Hofstra Univ Obsy - - - - S/O
Montauk Observatory - - - 15, 27, 29
SUNY Stony Brook - - - S/O
*Susan Rose Observatory - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
MANHATTAN - MH
*Amat Astro Assn starvwg - 0
*Amat Astro Assn lecture - S/O
Amer Musm Natl Hist - - 6
Ctr for Atmosp Ocean Sci S/O
Ctr for Science & Society ???
Central Pk (Great Lawn) - 1,2,3,8,9,10,15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30
*Columbia Univ Obsy - - - ???
Cornelia Street Cafe' - - 3
Earth Institute - - - - - ???
Good Housekeeping lab - 8
Governor's Island - - - - 1-Oct 31
Gullicar's Gate - - - - - 0
Instt Stud Ancnt World - S/O
Intrepid AstroCafe' - - - 15
Intrepid Astro Night - - 8
*Inwood Astronomy Project 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
'Jews in Space' exhibit - 1-late June
'Jews in space' lecture 21
Jupiter Joe Sidewk Astro 0
Milky Way spring season - 1-30
Natl Musm of Mathematics 6
NY Academy of Sciences - ???
NYC-H2O - - - - - - - - - 0
New York Univ Astro - - - S/O
*NYSkies Astronomy Seminar 1, 15
SciCafe' - - - - - - - - 6
Science & the Arts - - - ???
Simons Foundation - - - - S/O
Top of the Lawn - - - - - 1,2,3,8,9,10,15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30
TriState computer fair - 0
Urban Park Rangers - - - 0
Weekend Walks - - - - - - 1-mid Dec 2018
World Science Festival - 1-3
----------------------------
Ctr for Space Sci Edu - - info@nyccsse.org, www.nyccsse.org,
212-608-6164 n
METRO-NORTH - NY
Lamont-Doherty Obsy - - - S/O
Mid-Hudson Astro Assn - - 15
Ramapo Challenger Ctr - - 17
Vassar College Obsy - - - S/O
Ward Pound Ridge - - - - 9
Westchester Amat Astro - 1
NEW JERSEY - NJ
A A A of Princeton - - - 12
A S of Toms Rv Area - - - ???
*Amat Astro Inc meeting - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
*Amat Astro Inc lecture - S/O
Joint Base Centennial - 0
Morris Musm Astro Soc - - 14
New Jersey Astro Assn - - 23
No Jersey Astro Gp mtg - 13
No Jersey Astro Gp starvg S/O
Peyton Observarory - - - ???
Plasma Physics Lab - - - 1, 15
Rutgers Univ Astro Collqm S/O
Rutgers Univ Astro Semnr S/O
*S*T*A*R - - - - - - - - - 7
Schommer Observatory - - 14, 21
*Sheep Hill Astro Assn - - 1
*Sheep Hill Observatory - 15
*Utd Astro Clubs of NJ - - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Washington Xing St Pk - - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
---------------------------
Dark Sky Observers - www.users.nac.net/gburke/club
McDowell Obsy - mec.rst2.edu, 201-460-8300
Montclair Telescope Club - 973-948-5284, bischoff@garden.net,
users.erols.com/njastro/orgs/mtc.hrm
NW Jersey Amat Astro - www.nwjaa.org, info@nwjaa.org
Passaic Co Astro Assn - www.users.nac.net/gburke/PCAA, 973-523-0024
*Raritan Vy Co Coll Plm - www2.raritanval.edu/planetarium
Skyland Stargazers - skylandstargazers.tripod.com
QUEENS - QN
Alley Pond Park - - - - - 23
York College Observatory S/O
REST OF WORLD
STATEN ISLAND - SI
Coll of Staten Is Obsy - S/O
Great Kills Park - - - - 16
Staten Is Community TV - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
THE BRONX - BX
=============================
Ongoing and continuing events
--------------------------
all day - whole state - NJ - Joint Base centennial shows
VARIOUS LOCATIOONS ND TIMES; INQUITR AT CONTACT
Thru 2018 Oct 31. 100th annivesaty if Fort Dix and later
worls of McGuire AFN and Lakehurst NAS. These are only
military facilityies jointly run by all three major branches,
army, air force, navy. Events staged at or near bases. Most
ree, some pay. www.nj.gov/state/historical/index.html,
609-292-6062, Feedback@sos.nj.gov
all day - whole City - MH - cultural tour
VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND TIMES; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
NYC-H2O. Walk, bike, ride thru history and culture of NYC
muwater system facilities and natural waterways in and near
the City. Events are pay orfree, adn regn reqd. Bike tours
need own bike. www.nych2o.org,
matt@nych2o.org
all day - whole City - MH - clearsky starviewing
VARIOUS PLACES, DATES, HOURS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Amat Astro Assn. Sessions convene in parks usually at dusk.
Occasional daytime sunviewing. Free. Cancelled for clouds.
president@aaa.org, 718-522-5014, www.aaa.org
all day - whole City - MH - clearsky starviewing
VARIOUS PLACES, DATES, HOURS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Jupiter Joe's Sidewalk Astronomy. Sessions convene in parks
usually at dusk. Occasional daytime sunviewing. Free. `
Cancelled for clouds. www.jupiterjoesastronomy.org,
jupiyerjoesastronomy@gmail.com
all day - Gullivaer's Gate - MH - cultural exhibit
indef duration. 216 W 44 St, 7/8 Av. Opened in mid April 2017
for preview. Miniature models of landmarks and important
structures from around the world. Rooms arranged by quarter of
world and for New York City. $36, timed ticket, adv regn reqd.
Optional cost for stereopint of visitor into figurine placed
at desired item in exhibit. www.gulliversgate.com.
all day - whole City - MH - cultural tours & lectures
VARIOUS PLACES, DATES, HOURS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Urban Park Rangers. Tours of parks, landmarks, nabes, hoods.
Lectures on history and culture of NYC. Program varies each
month. Free. www.nyc.gov/parks
10:00 - whole City - MH - Tri-State Computer Fair
VARIOUS LOCATIONS, GENERALLY ON SUNDAYS
Source of computer systems, software, components, accessories.
$7. www.tri-statefairs.com, 718-227-5586
20:00 - Bell House - BK - Secret Science Club meeting
OCCASIONAL SESSIONS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
149 7 St, 2/3 Av. Lecture and music on various science
topics. Free. secretscienceclub.blogspot.com, 718-638-4400,
List of events
---------
Fri 1 Jun
all day - VIVO Institt - MH - 'Jews in Space' exhibit
Thru late June 2018. Within Ctr for Jewsih Hist buldg, 15
W 16 St, 5/6 Av. Opened Feb 26. Art pieces, photos, books &
maps, artifacts from Jewish astronauts and astronomers from
17th century to today. Free, have GI photo ID for campus
security. ww.vivo.org, 212-246-6080, vivomail@vivo.cjh.org.
all day - whole City - MH - World Science Festival
VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND HOURS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Thru Sun 3 Jun. Lectures, shows, performances, exhibits for
all sciences. Some events are free, some pay. Many concurrent
events in different locations. www.worldsciencefestival.com,
info@worldsciencefestival.com
all day - Governors Island - MH - cultural shows
FERRY IS FREE FOR FIRST WEEK, MAY 1-6, THENAFTER $2 RT
Thru 31 Oct. Island is open on every day, 10h-20h weekdayss,
10h-19h weekends. Walk and tour thru former military base and
new urban park. Shows vary each day or visit by foot or bike.
Ferries run every day 10h-17h from Battery Marine Terml, MH,
and on weekdays from Pier 6, BK. Island is free but ferry
fare is $2 RT. www.nps.gov/gois,
www.govisland.com
all day - whole City - MH - Weekend Walks street fairs
VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND DATES; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Thru mid Dec. NYC Dept of Transptn closes certain steets in
all boros on Saturdayss for street fairs. Stores and local
orgs offer ntertainment, discount sales, exhibits, food
service Free.
www.nyc.gov/html/dot/weekendwalks/html/home/home.shtml
00:00 - whole City - MH - spring Milky Way season
Thru Jun 30. Spring season for sighting Milky Way from within
NYC. Requires dark clear sky and thoro knowledge of normal
luminous graffiti in sky. Milky Way is in high east sky at
about 02:00. www.nyskies.org/articles/pazmino/milky-ny.htm
10:00 - Princeton - NJ - science tour
Plasma Physics Lab. Walk thru history and culture of fproject
to capture energy from controled hydrogen fusion. Free, adv
regn reqd. Photo ID required for campus security.
www.pppl.gov/events
18:30 - McBurney House - MH - NYSkies Astronomy Seminar
PRESENTATION: HOW WE WENT TO THE MOON A HUNDREED YEARS AGO
125 W 14 St, 6/7 Av. Discussion of astronomy topics, show
& tell, skywatching reports, news of astro activity in NYSkies
territory. Free. nyskies@nyskies.org, www.nyskies.org
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting
Union Co Coll, Sperry Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.asterism.org, hfjacinto6@gmail.com
19:30 - Boonton - NJ - Sheep Hill Astro Assn meeting
Boonton Senior Ctr. Free. www.sheephillastro.org,
contacts@sheephillastro.org, wwestura@optonline.net
19:30 - Pleasantville - NY - Westchester Amat Astro meeting
Pace Univ, Miller Hall, Free. www.westchesterastronomers.org,
waa-president@westchesterastronomers.org
19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show
100 Cable Way, Mariners Hr SI. 'Geology forum' Live audience,
seating at 19:30, on air at 20:00. Free. www.sictv.org,
718-727-1414
20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture
Stamford Obsy. $3. Indoor lecture, clearsky starviewing.
203-322-6537, www.stamfordmuseum.org, cescovil@earthlink.net
20;00 - Wash'n X'ing - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Amat Astro Assn of Princeton. Simpson Obsy. Free, cancelled
for clouds. www.princetonastronomy.org, 609-737-2575,
info@princetonastronomy.org
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing
PLUS OCCASIONAL EXTRA SESSIONS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Top of the Lawn. North path of Great Lawn. Free. Cancelled for
clouds. tags_p@yahoo.com, www.nyskies.org, nyskies@nyskies.org
Sat 2 Jun
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting
OCCASIONAL EXTRA EVENTS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Custer Instt. Indoor program, clearsky starviewing. $5-$15.
Varies with program. www.custerobservatory.org,
president@custerobservatory.org, 631-765-2626
20:00 - Jenny Jump St Forest - NJ - Utd A C of NJ mtg
UACNJ Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky starviewing. Free.
www.uacnj.org
20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing
Amat Obsrs Soc. capus of Custer Institt. Sessions concurrent
with Custer's own events. Free, cancelled for clouds.
www.aosny.org, suerose@optonline.net
20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing
OCCASIONAL EXTRA SESSIONS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
Inwood Astronomy Project. Meet at park entrance, Seaman Av
& Isham St. Free. Cancelled for clouds. 917-529-2359
www.inwoodastronomy.org, asonskendall@gmail.com
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Sun 3 Jun
13:15 - Uniondale - LI - Amat Obsrs Soc meeting.
Hofstra Univ, Berliner Hall. Free. www.aosny.org,
suerose@optonline.net
18:00 - Cornelia St Cafe' - MH - Entertaining Science show
29 Cornelia St & W 4 St, Play & music on various
science themes. $10 + one drink min.
www.corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Wed 6 Jun
16:00 - Natl Musm of Mathematics - MH - science show
Also 19:00. 'Mathematical Encounters'. Free, adv regn
reqd. 212-542-0566, www.momath.org, info@momath.org
19:00 - Amer Musm Natl Hist - MH - SciCafe' show
Hall of Ocean Life or hall of planet Earth. Music, drinks,
chat with Museum scientists. Free, be 21 or be gone. GI photo
ID reqd. 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs
20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting
Vanderbilt Plm. Free. asliastronomy@yahoo.com,
www.asliclub.org
20:30 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing
Westport Astro Soc. Rolnick Obsy. Free. Cancelled for
clouds. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925
20:30 - Greenwich - CT - clearsky starviewing
Astro Soc of Greenwich. Curtis Elem Schl, Bowman Obsy. Free.
Cancelled for clouds. rickbria@optonline.net, 203-415-6762. ,
astrogreenwich.org
Thu 7 Jun
20:00 - Lincroft - NJ - S*T*A*R meeting
Brookdale Commty Coll, Mommouth Museum. Free.
www.starastronomy.org, s-walters@comcast.net
Fri 8 Jun
10:00 - Good Housekeeping Resrch Instt - MH - science tour
Also 11:30. Hearst Tower, 57 St & 8 Av. Walk thru history and
science of product testing center of Good Housekeeping
magazine. Free, adv regn reqd. 212-649-5000,
ghritours@hearst.com
19:30 - Intrepid Museum - MH - astronomy lecture
Flight deck of ship. Indoor/open air lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.intrepidmuseum.org
19:30 - Torrington - CT - Litchfield Hills Amat Astro Club mtg
Central Congregational Church. Free.lhaacsec@gmail.com
lhastro.org
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Jun 1
19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Jun 1
20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Jun 1
20;00 - Wash'n X'ing - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Sat 9 Jun
20:00 - New Milford - CT - astronomy lecture
McCarthy Obsy, New Miford HS. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.mccarthyobservatory.org, 860-354-1595,
contact@mccarthyobservatory.org
20:00 - Ward Pound Ridge - NY - clearsky starviewing
Westchester Amat Astro. Meadows Picnic Area. Free. Cancelled
for clouds. waa-president@westchesterastronomers.org
www.westchesterastronomers.org,
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Jun 2
20:00 - Jenny Jump St Forest - NJ - Utd A C of NJ mtg - see Jun 2
20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Sun 10 Jun
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Tue 12 Jun
19:30 - Princeton - NJ - Amat Astro Assn of Princeton meeting
Princeton U, Peyton Hall. Free. www.princetonastronomy.org,
609-737-2575, info@princetonastronomy.org
Wed 13 Jun
20:00 - Upper Montclair - NJ - No Jersey Astro Gp meeting
Montclair St Univ, Richardson Hall, Room 232. Free.
njastro.org, 973-655-7266
20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Jun 6
20:30 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 6
Thu 14 Jun
19:30 - Morristown - NJ - Morris Museum Astro Soc meeting
Morris Museum. Free. 973-386-1848, 973-386-1848,,
www.mmastrosociety.org, info@morrismusem.org,
ckkrish@gmail.com
20:30 - Piscataway - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Rutgers Univ, Schommer Obsy. Free. Cancelled for clouds.
732-205-0020, www.physics.rutgers.edu/ast/ast-serin.html
pryor@physics.rutgers.edu
Fri 15 Jun
10:00 - Princeton - NJ - science tour - see Jun 1
18:30 - McBurney House - MH - NYSkies Astronomy Seminar
DISCUSSION: OBSERVING THE MOON'S SURFACE
125 W 14 St, 6/7 Av. Discussion of astronomy topics, show
& tell, skywatching reports, news of astro activity in NYSkies
territory. Free. nyskies@nyskies.org, www.nyskies.org
19:00 - Lk Taghkanic St Pk - NY - clearsky starviewing
Mid-Hudson Astro Assn. West Beach parking lot. Free,
cancelled for clouds. Adv regn reqd with vehicle make,
model, plate number for park security. `
www.nidgudsonastronomy.org
19:30 - Intrepid Museum - MH - AstroCafe' lecture
Flight deck of ship. Indoor/open air lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Food & drink service, bar drinks sold only to 21+
YO. Free. www.intrepidmuseum.org
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Jun 1
19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Jun 1
20:00 - Floyd Bennett Field - BK - clearsky starviewing
Community Garden. NYSKies & Natl Park Svc. Free. Cancelled
for clouds. www.nyskies.org, stephenlieber@nyc.rr.com,
nyskies@nyskies.org
20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Jun 1
20;00 - Wash'n X'ing - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:30 - Boonton - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Sheep Hill Astro Assn Obsy, Free. Cancelled for
clouds. sheephillastro.otg, contacts@sheephillastro.org,
wwestura@optonline.net
20:30 - Litchfield - CT - Litchfield Hills A A C lecture
White Meml Consrvn Ctr. Free. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. lhaac.shutterfly.com, lhaacsec@gmail.com
lhastro.org
21:30 Bridgehampton - LI - astronomy lecture
Montauk Obsy, South Fork Natl Hist Musm.. Indoor talk,
clearsky starviewing. Free. www.montaukobservatory.com
Sat 16 Jun
11:00 - Brighton Beach - BK - Parade of Trains show
Thru Sun 17 Jun. NY Transit Museum. Brighton line, Brighton Bh
station. Visit and ride several antique subway trains. Get
ferroviana at pop-up Museum shop, rap with subway crew, take
pictures and films of trains. Cintinuous rides along Brighton
line. Free with any subway route to Brighton Bh station.
www.nytransitmuseum.org
20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing
Astro Soc of Gtr Hartford, Wesleyan U, Van Vleck Obsy. Free.
Cancelled for clouds. www.asgh.org, 860-872-9069,
pparkers@cs.com
20:00 - Great Kills Pk - SI - clearsky starviewing
Natl Pk Svc. Enter at Hylan Bv to playground; Free. Cancelled
for clouds. www.nps.gov/gate, 718-987-6790 n
20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Jenny Jump St Forest - NJ - Utd A C of NJ mtg - see Jun 2
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Jun 2
Sun 17 Jun
14:00 - Airmont - NY - science show
Ramapo Challenger Ctr, 225 Rt 29. Multimedia
imulation of space missions. $20. wwwlhvcc.com,
director@lhvcc.com, 845-257-3416.
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Tue 19 Jun
20:00 - Westport - CT - Westport Astro Soc meeting
Rolnick Obsy. Free. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925
Wed 20 Jun
18:00 - Bethpage - LI - Amer Instt Aero & Astro lecture
Bethpage Public Library. Various topics in aeronautics and
astronautics. 'Nars sample return missiOn'. Free, optional $5
pizza-soda. 516-458-8593, davidparis@twc.com
20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Jun 6
20:30 - Greenwich - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 6
20:30 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 6
Thu 21 Jun
18:30 - VIVO Institt - MH - 'Jews in Space' lecture
Within Ctr for Jewsih Hist buldg, 15 W 16 St, 5/6 Av.
Reflection and prospection honoring astronaut Ilan Ramon, who
died in the Columbia Shuttle disaster in 2003. $15, adv regn
reqd. Have GI photo ID for campus security. ww.vivo.org, 212-
246-6080, vivomail@vivo.cjh.org.
20:30 - Piscataway - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 14
Fri 22 Jun
19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Jun 1
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Jun 1
20;00 - Wash'n X'ing - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Jun 1
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Sat 23 Jun
19:30 - Alley Pond Park - QN - astronomy lecture
Alley Pond Enviro Ctr. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. $14 at door.. www.alleypond.org,
info@alleypond.org, 718-229-4000
20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Jenny Jump St Forest - NJ - Utd A C of NJ mtg - see Jun 2
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Jun 2
20:30 - Voorhees St Pk - NJ - NJ Astro Assn meeting
NJAA-HQ, Robinson Obsy. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.njaa.org, 908-368-8600
Sun 24 Jun
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Tue 26 Jun
19:00 - New Haven - CT - Astro Soc of New Haven meeting
Yale Univ, Leitner Family Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.asnh.org, prez@asnh.org
Wed 27 Jun
20:30 East hampton - LI - astronomy lecture
Montauk Obsy, Fuild Hall.. Indoor talk,
clearsky starviewing. Free. www.montaukobservatory.com
20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Jun 6
20:30 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 6
Fri 29 Jun
14:30 East hampton - LI - astronomy lecture
Montauk Obsy, Fuild Hall.. Indoor talk,
clearsky starviewing. Free. www.montaukobservatory.com
19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Jun 1
19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Jun 1
20;00 - Wash'n X'ing - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Jun 1
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Sat 30 Jun
20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Jun 2
20:00 - Jenny Jump St Forest - NJ - Utd A C of NJ mtg - see Jun 2
20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Jun 2
20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Jun 1
Events Skipped This Month
-----------------------
EVENT MAY RESUME AT DIFFERENT PLACE OR HOUR; INQUIRE AT CONTACT
--------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
[S/O] SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER RESUMPTION OF ACTIVITY
--------------------------------------
11:00 - Palisades - NY - science lecture
Lamont-Doherty Earth Obsy, Comer Bldg. Various topics in
geophysics and earth science. Free, 845-365-8634,
www.ldeo.columbia.edu, suzana@ldeo.columbia.edu,
13:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture
Seminar series. Rutgers Univ, Serin 401. Free. 732-445-3974,
www.physics.rutgers.edu/ast/seminar
14:00 - New York University - MH - astronomy lecture
726 Broadway, Rm 940. Various topics in astrophys and
relativity. Free. Have GI photo ID for campus security.
physics.nyu.edu/events.htm
15:30 - Courant Institute - MH - science lecture
Ctr for Atmosp & Ocean Studies. Weaver Hall, 251 Mercer
St. Various topics in geophysics and earth science. Free.
caos.cims.nyu.edu, shafer@cims.nyu.edu
15:30 - Greenwich - CT - Astro Soc of Greenwich meeting
Greenwich Public Library. Free with musm adm.
rickbria@optonline.net, 203-415-6762, astrogreenwich.org
16:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture
Colloquium series. Rutgers Univ, Busch Campus, Astro & Phys
Lectr Hall. Free. www.physics.rutgers.edu/colloquium,
732-445-3974
17:00 - Simons Foundation - MH - scinece lecture
160 5 Av & 21 St. 'How and why Mercury is different from its
sibling rocky planets?'. Free, adv regn reqd. 646-654-0066,
ww.simonsfoundation.org
18:00 - Inst Stud Anc World - MH - cultural lecture
15 E 84 St, 5/Madison Av. Various topics on history and
culture of ancient civilizations.. Free, adv regn reqd.
isaw..nyu.edu isaw@nyu.edu, 212-992-7842
18:15 - Amer Musm Natl Hist - MH - Amat Astro Assn lecture
Kaufmann Theater. Free, no musm adm fee. 718-522-5014,
president@aaa.org, www.aaa.org
19:00 - Coll of Staten Is - SI - clearsky starviewing
Astrophys Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds. 718-982-2818,
csivc.csi.cuny.edu/supernove7/files/home.html,
robbins@mail.csi.cuny.edu,
19:30 - Stony Brook - LI - astronomy lecture
SUNY Stony Brook, Earth & Spc Sci Hall. Indoor lecture,
clearsky starviewing. Free. www.ess.sunysb.edu/astro,
631-632-8100, slutterbie@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
19:30 - New Brittain - CT - Astro Soc of Gtr Hartford meeting
Central CT St Univ, Copernicus Plm. Free. www.asgh.org,
860-872-9069, pparkerrs@cs.com
20:00 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc lecture
Union Co Coll, Smith Audm. Indoor talk, clearsky
starviewing. Free. www.asterism.org
20:00 - Danbury - CT - astronomy lecture
Westn Conn St Uv, Obsy/Plm. Indoor planetarium show,
clearsky starviewing. Free. www.wcsu.edu/starwatch,
203-837-8671, dawsond@wcsu.edu
20:00 - York College - QN - astronomy lecture .
Core Academic Bdg, Rm AC-2E01. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Free, adv regn reqd. 718-262-2082,
www.york.cuny.edu/centers-institutes/observatory,
tpaglione@york.cuny.edu
20:00 - Uniondale - LI - clearsky starviewing
Hofstra University,Berliner Bdg, Rm 117. Free,
adv regn reqd. Cancelled for clouds. 516-463-2759,
www.hofstra.edu/Academics, observatory@hofstra.edu
20:0:0 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture
Pupin Hall, signs to lecture room. Indoor lecture, clearsky
starviewing. Free. outreach-admin@astro.columbia.edu,
www.astro.columbia.edu/outreach, 212-854-3278
20:00 - Upper Montclair - NJ - clearsky starviewing
No Jersey Astro Gp. Montclair St Univ, Richardson Hall.
Free, cancelled for clouds. njastro.org, 973-655-7266,
20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing
Wesleyan U, Van Vleck Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds.
860-685-3664, www.wesleyan.edu/astro/events
21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing
Vassar College, Observatory. Free. Cancelled for clouds.
physicsandastronomy.vassar.edu/observatory.html,
845-437-7340
--------------------------------------
[???] UNCERTAIN RESUMPTION OF ACTIVITY
--------------------------------------
18:00 -CUNY Graduate Center - MH - Ctr for Sci & Soc lecture
385 Fifth Av. 'Early modernb science intertwine An
Iberoamerican perspective'.. Free, adv regn reqd, Free,
limited seating. 212-854-7211,
scienceandsociety.columbia.edu
18:00 - Earth Institute - MH - science lecture
Columbnia Univ, Lerner Hall, Arledge Audm.. 'Sea level rise:
Causes, impacts and options for solutions'. Free, adv regn
reqd. ei.columbia.edu
18:30 - CUNY Graduate Center - MH - Science and the Arts show
'TNo, No, Nobel' on women who missedthe Nobel Prize for
their work. Free. 212-817-7521, bschwartz@gc.cuny.edu,
scienceandarts@scienceandarts.pmailus.com,
19:00 - Toms River - NJ - Astro Soc of Toms Rv Area meeting
Ocean Co Coll, Student Ctr, Solar Lounge. Free.
www.astra-nj.org, 732-255-0343, webmaster@astra-nj.org
19:00 - NY Academy of Sciences - MH - astronomy lecture
'The unification of physics: The ques for a Theory of
20:30 - West Reading - CT - clearsky starviewingh
New Pond Farm, obseratory. $10, adv regn reqd. , cancelled for
clouds. www.newpondfarm.org, 203-938-2117,
20:30 - Princeton - NJ - clearsky starviewing
Princeton Univ, Peyton Hall. Free. Cancelled for clouds
www.astro.princeton.edu/observatory/publicobserving.php,//,
jeg@astro.princeton.edu, lee@astro.princeton.edu
General news
----------
June is the first of each year's two 'sea-change' of astronomy
activity. Events running on a school-year schedule go into recess
while summertime events start up. In Sep-Oct the change-over reverses.
I some times have the case of an event having no session in May, being
in the '???' section, and still having no instance for June. I follow
that event's pattern from prior years, usually placing it in the 'S/O'
section.
World Science Festival runs into June 2018, ending with a
science street fair in Washington Sq on the 3rd. NYSkies works with
the Festival on Saturday the 2nd at Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park. We
are astronomy resource crew to distribute star & planet charts, point
out the stars, handle astronomy questions. Event features a science
lecture, starviewing, and music/dance, all starting at 7PM. Event
could be called off for adverse weather.
Alley Pond Enviro Ctr notes that its monthly astronomy nights
include an indoor talk. The event is weather independent. NYC Events
previously listed it as 'clearsky starviewing, cancelled for clouds'.
The 'Jews in space' exhibit at VIVO Instt continues to late June
2018, from intense public interest. There is also an extra lecture
honoring israel's first astronaut Ilan Ramon on June 21.
Our Seminar on June 1 is one day after the May Manhattanhenge
window. We will step outside to watch the Sun set a bit off of the
line of 14th St. The Seminar on July 6 is a couple days too early, but
we'll again watch an off-centered sunset.
In 2018 the United Nations staged several public events on a wide
range of subjects. None so far were astro/sci. With reconstruction at
the UN winding down, some offices found that events opened to
outsiders as a UN effort to alleviate construction nuisance, improved
public awareness of their work. They on their own continue to offer
events to the public, now without the targeted invites, like the ones
I sporadicly got over the past several years. You do have to register
and sometimes pick up a visitors pass to enter the campus. Almost all
are short-notice events, missing the upcoming NYC Events. Events of
potential interest for NYSkiers will be posted in our Yahoogroup and
email list. Please mind well that the topic could be thoroly
repulsive, even tho it is considered worthy of UN attention.
Montauk Obsy has three events in June 2018 at different locations
hours and locations. See under June 15, 27, 29.
City News
-------
Amat Obsrs Soc on 18 May 2018 called off its 'City of stars' tour
for 19 May for impending rain. Rain date is June 2nd. The 19th was
rainy, shifting between thin drizzle and strong downpour.
At the NYSkies Seminar on 18 May 2018 Steve Kaye described his
recent trip to St Louis MO. While there he visited Cahokia, remains of
a preColumbian society just across the Missouri Rv in Collinsville
IL. He examined Woodhenge, in replica because the original wood
structure long ago decayed. He showed, with handouts of an article,
that the inhabitants used it to keep track of seasons and lunar
motion, similar to Stonehenge.
World Science Festival in April-May 2018 found that unauthorized
outfits were soliciting as the Festival. NYSkies received a couple,
requests, which we handed over to the Festival for investigation.
Festival advises that supporters work only with its official agents.
NYSkies Astronomy Seminar on 4 May 2018 explored the planets
Jupiter and Saturn, now coming into the nightfall sky. We also
refreshed our mind for Mars, topic of a few sessions ago. Mars is
still an owl-hour object but increasingly under watch by observers.
Jupiter slided east one more zodiac constellation since 2017, then in
Virgo, now in Libra. He takes one year per constellation to fill out
his 12-year circuit thru the zodiac. Saturn dwells in Sagittarius,
taking for about 2-1/2 years in each constellation to complete his 29-
year round of the zodiac. For the next several years we'll discuss
Jupiter and Saturn together in one session. here to gore we treated
the two in separate sessions. The planets are now closing together
toward a major conjunction in 2020. Such meetups come at 20-year
intervals, the last few in 2000, 1980, and 1960. Yes, I saw ALL THREE
of them! Mars, Jupiter, Saturn are in or approaching their
oppositions. They go thru retrograde loops. Those for Jupiter and
Saturn are sways to-fro more than 'loops', like that coming up for
Mars in June. We saw that the progress of all of the planets is best
monitored with binoculars, since many of the stars around them are
dim. The loops invite photography, specially in a series a week apart.
Unlike mars, Jupiter and Saturn stay about the same brightness all
the time. They do get dimmer near solar conjunction, but then they are
in twilight with few background stars. In contrast, Mars is steadily
on the increase, to surpass Saturn and then Jupiter by late July. The
wide range of brightness for Mars comes from the 5-to-1 range of his
angular diameter from opposition to superior conjunction. Jupiter as a
telescope target is always a delight. In the smaller scopes his moons
dance around him. Larger scopes reveal the cloud bands and the Great
Red Spot. The GRS waxes and wanes in prominence yearly and also drifts
in longitude around the planet.. Planetarium software that simulate
close-up views of the planets usually use a stock map of clouds but
then need an addiurnate longitude fo the GRS. This is taken from a
current Jupiter observing source, like an astronomy magazine or web.
The software then plots a reddish spot at the proper longitude for the
GRS. Jupiter illustrates the flip-flop in orientation for astronomy
pictures, now with north at top. Traditionally south was at top
because early telescopes had as few optical surfaces as possible,
maximizing the thruput of photons,. such scopes yielded 'up-side-down'
images, south up for northern observers. Modern scopes with clearer
lens material and image capture can produce views in any orientation.
The GRS is in Jupiter's south hemisphere, being near the top of older
pictures and near the bottom in modern ones. The moons orbit in
Jupiter's equator plane, which is close to the ecliptic. The moons
swing around Jupiter fro side to side rather than 'going around' him.
Jupiter sources publish charts of the moons displacement east/west of
the ball and tables of events among them. These include eclipses,
transits, occultations against the ball.. Before 1970 the moons were
numbered,I-IV. To promote spaceprobe visits to Jupiter, NASA revived
proper names assigned by Marius, never in common use: Io, Europa,
Ganymmede, Callisto. None of Jupiter's other 60ish moons are visible
in home telescopes. Saturn presents a beautiful scene more or less
static for each apparition. His rings are still wide open, starting to
close up since maximum phase in 2017. The north face is tilted to us
now. We saw how tough it was to properly interpret crude scope views
of Saturn in the 1600s. Galileo drew Saturn as a triple planet,
assuming the ring ansae were companion spheres. Huygens in mid-1600s
sussed out the annular nature, showing that the rings are fixed in
space and we see them fro different asides during Saturn's motion
around the Sun. We learned that the last edge-on phase, when the rings
disappeared in small scopes, was in 2009. The previous maximum south-
side phase ws in 2002,. Then maximum north-side open was in 2017, next
edge-on in 2024. Some of us wondered if the colors shown in modern
pictures of Jupiter and Saturn are real because most times they see
the planets in small scopes as 'black-&-white' or in a single weak
tint. In some telescopes of the 1970-1990 period, colors were muted by
suboptmal design and build, a situation that dissuaded planetary
observing for a long while. Modern scopes do give good color
rendition. Some observers inspect the planets in twilight. Colors
stand out without the glare and contrast of a dark sky background. Of
Saturn's moons, five or six are within reach of home scopes. Titan,
the largest moon, is always in sight, altho it can be missed as a
field star. The others require careful skill and a detail chart for
the day and hour of viewing. The moons run concentric with the rings,
going around Saturn, making it all the harder to identify them. We
noted that the rings are a plane of separate rocks and boulders,
individual moonlets. This was suggested in the mid 1800s and confirmed
in the early 1900s A solid ring could never be stable, keeping
centered on the ball, and would tear apart under tidal and centrifugal
forces across its width. The rings are lettered A, outer, and B,
inner, separated by Cassini's division. The Crepe ring, ring C, is
sometimes seen as a shading on the inner edge of ring B. We finished
the session with a look at the just-issued picture of the Milky Way by
the Gaia project. It was compiled from the craft's survey of 1.7
billion stars. A large picture in the takeaway showed the the all-sky
scene of our Milky Way in full color. We'll study this again at the
next session. Takeaways were maps of Jupiter and Saturn paths in sky,
close-up views of both planets, sample tables of Jupiter moon
positions and events, example early drawings of Saturn, Huygens's
diagram of the tilted rings, general array of Saturn moons, angular
extent of Jupiter moons if all were somehow visible to eye or
binoculars, views of Saturn at several oppositions.
On 10 May 2018 NYSkiers helped fill ISAW's lecture hall to hear
about Islamic science penetration into Europe in the 15th-17th
centuries. The appreciation of astronomy, mathematics, medicine was
demonstrated, in spite of political and military hostility against the
Arab infiltration into europe.
NYSkies Astronomy Seminar on 18 May 2018 walked thru the backdoor
from blackholes to Einstein relativity. I gave a slideshow on
blackholes, the backdoor to relativity, to Amateur Observers Society
in April. The audience lost way because there were no takeaways and it
couldn't keep track of the maths from the slides on screen. This
present Seminar was a major upgrade with the maths in takeaways and a
healthy dialog among the astronomers. Every one seemed to be heading
in the path toward personal pursuit of relativity, banking off of
their familiarity with blackholes. Explanations of blackholes are
reasonably mature and most home astronomers do understand how
blackholes work. We recalled that descriptions for home astronomers of
relativity, special and general, often are so shallow that the subject
seems too complex to understand. We saw that te main difficulty with
relativity was that its effects and phaenomena are so small with few
convincing examples to illustrate them. A blackhole is the extreme
case of general relativity whose behavior is dramaticly different from
that experienced far from the blackhole. Without realizing, a home
astronomer is comparing a regime of spacetime in a strong gravity
field with that in his own, safe, weak field. We began with a review
of Newton's laws of motion and gravity. We saw immediately that Newton
ran into the concept of a blackhole! His inverse-square law and
replacement of a bulk mass by a point mass produce a runaway growth of
gravity field strength with proximity to the point mass. This is in
essence the blackhole. Newton avoided this situation by asserting that
all real bodies have a surface o block too-close proximity to the
central point, keeping a finite gravity field strength. Newton also
had problems with 'mass'. He used it as the property of matter to
resist change of motion and also as the property that generates a
gravity field. The two are distinct features of matter, yet they
seemed to be measured by the one parameter 'mass'. Newton by experiment
found as best he could the two were identical. Until the late 20th
century we weren't sure why 'mass' stands for both gravity and
inertia. We didn't know at the meeting what the newly-found Higgs
boson tells us. Nothing more was done until Michell in late 1700s
proposed that the largest stars in space could not be seen because
their escape velocity is greater than lightspeed. The worked with
imperfect numerical values but came up with a star's maximum radius is
500 times the Sun's, assuming the same density. He worked with
Newton's formula for the combination of mass and radius until it
made the escape velocity equal to lightspeed. He also note that the
presence of such a 'dark star' is revealed if luminous, visible,
bodies orbiting it. We reminded that some blackholes today are studied
by monitoring their orbiting stars. Today we usually hold the mass
constant and let the radius shrink. When it reduces to a value that
makes escape speed equal lightspeed, we have the blackhole. For the
Sun this radius is 2.9km (almost always rounded to 3km); Earth, 9mm.
This limiting radius was first worked out from Einstein's theory by
Schwarzschild in 1910s and is the Schwarzschild radius. So far we were
going over much familiar territory, with most members adding their
comments into the discussion. We next slided over to relativity,
starting from the formula for escape velocity. First we transposed it
to get o a statement of energy in a gravity field. A body when dropped
from a given distance from the attrahent loses potential energy, which
is converted into kinetic energy. We noted that the energy equation
applies to other forms of energy, not only mechanical.. The goal now
was to derive, in a backdoor method, the relativity connection of time
or space between observers in two gravity fields. The blackhole model
makes this easy because one observer is near the 'event horizon' while
the other, Earth, is a safe distance away. We chose to work with the
unit of time, rather than of length, called dT. To get to this unit,
we needed an energy that is simple, yet contains dT. We picked the
energy of a photon, given by E=h*f, h being Planck's constant. Because
eventually this h will drop out of our formulae, we have E::f,
E::1/dT. We wrote out the equations for energy near the blackhole and
in ideally a zero gravity field. For all known blackholes we are so
far away the gravity is zero. The result is that the perceived dT by
the sage observer is related to that of the close-in observer by the
ratio of observers's distances from the blackhole. The safe observer
perceives the close-om observer's dT as larger, greater. Time seems
slower to the safe person than for the close observer. In the limit as
the close-in person approaches the event horizon, his time experienced
at the safe observer stops, dT ->infy. His activity is 'frozen'.
Blackholes were at first called 'frozen stars'. 'Blackhole' was
initially treated as a naughty word, specially in Europe. By the 1980s
it was in routine use, often as one word. We skipped a similar
derivation for special relativity due to accidental omission of a page
in the takeaway. We slided into special relativity ny applying logic.
By comparing the relative speed between the two observers and
lightspeed, the standing person perceives time at the moving person as
slower. dT is greater. We noted carefully that in special relativity
each person can be the 'standing' person and the effects at the
opposite person are reciprocal. In general relativity thee is no
symmetry of effect. Each person is actually in a different gravity
field. We saw that 'time' is not just the reading on a clock, as in
silly cartoons of space travellers seeing a wall clock running slow.
Time applies to ANY AND ALL activity: heart beat, metabolism,, metal
rust, wood rot. All these procede at a normal pace for the person
attached to them but are perceived to run slower ny the other
observer. Altho this Seminar was among the more mathematical ones,
most members felt they were now better prepared to appreciate
Einstein's theory of relativity, at least for comparing unit time
between observers. Takeaways were the printed slides from the April
talk.
At the Seminar on 18 May 2018 we examined a full-color print of
Gaia's new portrait of the Milky Way. It was issued in late April in a
news piece from the Gaia office. We saw that toward the galactic
center stars are mostly yellow. Around the anticenter stars are mostly
blue. A couple astronomers explained that the center the older yellow
supergiants. The spiral arms away from the center have younger blue
supergiants. We mused that digital imaging of the MW in summer and
winter may being out this same color distinction, but I have not heard
of such attempts.
NYSkiers got a triple-whammy of shows about nuclear energy in May
2018! On the 20th they heard what happened at the Ukraine's Chernobyl
station. The lecture was at the Ukrainian Museum. On the 21st they
explored how atomic powered submarines work, explained by a nuclear
engineer from China. The talk was at the Pfizer Bldg. At National Grid
HQ on the 24th they saw how a tsunami destroyed Japan's Fukushima
power plant. All three shows were short-notice events missing May's
NYC Events but posted in our Yahoogroup.
Sky News
------
May 2018 opened with a does of raw summer weather! Temps rose to
the 30Cs with humid air and little breeze. Relief came on the 3rd in
evening with a thunderstorm that grazed the City. It threw down wind-
blown rain and stirred up cool breeze. Storm passed south of NYC with
typical thunder, lightning, heavy rain.
Overall May 2018 was a poor month for observing. We had a couple
clear nights but most nights served up cloud or rain. Temps ranged
from mild to full summer heat.
he omega Centauri hunt was a bomb-out in April-May 2018. The sky
was never dark and clear enough to try for the globular cluster. I'll
put up the challenge again in April 2019 for an other go at it.
No night in May 2018 was close to a potential Milky Way night. The
window for possibly spotting the MW continues thru June 30.
Violent thunderstorm sweeped over NYSkies on 2018 May 15 mid
afternoon thru night. It hit NYC and LI with heavy rain, but Metro-
North and New Jersey suffered felled trees, ripped-up power lines, and
coastal flooding. Rail service in M-N was delayed by trees falling
into tracks. Some roads and rails closed from storm debris blockage.
During thunderstorm of 2018 May 15 at least three tornados were
touched down in NYSkies. One scored ground thru Orange & Sullivan
county, NY. Other two were hit & run events in Putnam county, NY. All
three were weak with central winds of up to 200KPH. No reported
injuries, deaths, major structural damage.
Jupiter at nightfall moves into center south in June, followed by
Saturn and mars in midnight-owl hours. The three are in their
retrograde loops all summer:
-------------------------------------------------
RETROGRADE LOOPS FOR MARS, JUPITER, SATURN IN 2018
-------------------------------------------------
event | Mars | Jupiter| Saturn
-------------+---------------+-+-------
west station | Jun 26 | Mar 9 | Apr 18
opposition | Jul 27 | May 9 | Jun 27
east station | Aug 27 | Jul 10 | Sep 6
---------------------------------------
The 'ring flash' may be seen at Saturn's opposition on June 27,
2018, but it demands continuous inspection of the planet for a couple
weeks before and after opposition. It can not be obvious with only a
look at opposition or with only sporadic views around hen. The planet
spikes in brightness, a few tenths magnitude, because at opposition
the ring moonlets completely hide their shadows behind them. The
entire ring surface is lighted. It may be best to take digital
pictures of the planet in the sky repeatedly and asses the brightness
against nearby stars. This phaenomenon is a subtile one, often missed
by experienced observers, even me.