NYC EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER 2019

NYSkies Astronomy Inc The support service for home astronomy in New York
HOME	Yahoogroup	Seminar	NYC Events

NYC EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER 2019 --------------------------- John Pazmino NYSkies Astronomy In+c nyskies@nyskies.org wwww.nyskies.org The following astronomy activities in the commuting ring enclosing New York City are operated by various organizations. A few cultural tems 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. Hours from November 1 thru 2 are Eastern Daylight Savings Time (UT - 4h). Hours from November 3 and out are Eastern Standard Time (UT - 5h). 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. c '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. #, NYSkies Astronomy Seminar c 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 17:51 EDST 3 .4) 5 6 7 8 9 16:44 EST 10 11 (12) 13 14 15# 16 16:37 EST 17 18 19. 20 21 22 23 16:33 EST 24 25 .26. 27 28 29 30 16:29 EST ---------------------------------------------- Index of Events / ------------- * = NASA-JPL Night Sky Network affiliate Date = entry in 'list of events' section '0' = entry in 'ongoing and continuing events' section 'ART',= entry in 'skipped, autumnt resumption' section 'SPR' = entrt in 'skipped, spring resumption' secrion '???' = entry in 'skipped, uncertain resumption' seciton ------- ----------------------------------------------- BROOKLYN - BK Astronomy on Tap - - - - 20 Canarsie line curtailment 0 *Floyd Bennett Field - - - 1 Secret Science Club - - - 0 CONNECTICUT - CT *A S of Gtr Hartford - - 20 Astro Soc of Greenwich - 17 *Astro Soc of New Haven - 26 Bowman Observatory - - - 6, 20 *Litchfield Hills AAC mtg 8 *Litchfield Hills lecture 15 *McCarthy Observatory - - 9 New Pond Farm - - - - - - 2 Stamford Observatory - - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 *Van Vleck Obsy (ASGH) - - 2 Van Vleck Obsy (WU) - - - 6, 13, 20, 27 Western CT St Univ Obsy - 9, 23 *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 *Amat Obsrs Soc starviewing 0 Amer Instt Aero & Astro - ??? Astro Soc of Long Island 6, 13, 20 Brookhaven National Lab - 14 Custer Institute - - - - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Hofstra Univ Obsy - - - - 3 Montauk Observatory - - - 1 SUNY Stony Brook - - - - 1 *Susan Rose Observatory - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 MANHATTAN - MH *Amat Astro Assn starvwg - 0 *Amat Astro Assn lecture - 1 Amer Instt Archarology - 13 Canarsie line curtailment 0 Ctr for Atmosp Ocean Sci - 6, 20 Ctr for Science & Society ??? Central Pk (Great Lawn) - 1,2,3,8,,9,10,15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30 City of Science - - - - - 7 *Columbia Univ Obsy - - - 1, 15 Earth Institute - - - - - ??? Eastern Standard Time - - 3 Election Day - - - - - - - 5 Good Housekeeping lab - - 8 Globe at Night - - - - - 18-27 Gullivar's Gate - - - - - 0 Hayden Planetarium - - - 4, 26 Instt Stud Ancnt World - 12, 14, 19 Intrepid Museum - - - - - SPR *Inwood Astronomy Project 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Milky Way fall season - - 1-30 Natl Musm of Mathematics 6 NY Academy of Sciences - ??? NYC-H2O - - - - - - - - - 0 New York Map Society - - 2 NYU Astrop & Relatvty - - 12 *NYSkies Astronomy Seminar 1, 15 Observer's Handbook offer 1-indef SciCafe' - - - - - - - - 6 Simons Foundation - - - - 6 Thanksgiving Day - - - - 28 *Top of the Laawn - - - - 1,2,3,8,,9,10,15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30 Transit of Mercury - - - 11 TriState computer fair -- 0 Urban Park Rangers - - - 0 Veterans Day - - - - - - 11 Weekend Walks - - - - - - 1-Dec WTC station closings - -- 0 ------------------------------- Ctr for Space Sci Edu - - info@nyccsse.org, www.nyccsse.org, 212-608-6164 n METRO-NORTH - NY Lamont-Doherty Obsy - - - 1 measles epidemic - - - - 0 Mid-Hudson Astro Assn - - ??? Ramapo Challenger Ctr - - 17 Rockland Astro Club - - - 30 Vassar College Obsrvatory 6, 13, 20, 27 Ward Pound Ridge - - - - 23 Westchester Amat Astro - 1 NEW JERSEY - NJ A A A of Princeton - - - 12 *Amat Astro Inc meeting - 1, 8, 22, 29 *Amat Astro Inc lecture - 15 A S of Toms Rv Area - - - 8 Morris Musm Astro Soc - - 14 New Jersey Astro Assn - - SPR North Bergen Viaduct - - 0 No Jersey Astro Gp mtg - 13 No Jersey Astro Gp starvg 7, 14, 21 Peyton Observarory - - - ??? Plasma Physics Lab - - - 1, 15 Rutgers Univ Astro Collqm 6, 13, 20, 27 Rutgers Univ Astro Semnr 7, 14, 21 *S*T*A*R - - - - - - - - - 7 Schommer Observatory - - 14, 21 *Sheep Hill Astro Assn - - 1 *Sheep Hill Observatory - 15 *Utd Astro Clubs of NJ - - SPR Washington Xing St Pk - - SPR WTC station closings - - 0 --------------------------- Dark Sky Observers - www.users.nac.net/gburke/club McDowell Obsy - mec.rst2.edu, 201-460-8300 Montclair Telescope Club - 973-948-5284,, users.erols.com/njastro/orgs/mtc.htm 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 s QUEENS - QN York College Observatory 13 REST OF WORLD STATEN ISLAND - SI Coll of Staten Is Obsy - ??? Great Kills Park - - - - 23 Staten Is Community TV - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 THE BRONX - BX ============================= Ongoing and continuing events -------------------------- all day - H&M WTC line - MH - WTC station closings s Thru late 2020. World Trade Center station closes every weekend to repair tunnels under Hudson River ruined by hurricane Sandy. Station closes at 00h on each Saturday, reopens at 05h on following Monday. WTC-bound trains turn at Exchange Pl station. For service to WTC, use 33 St line to connect to NYC subways. www.panynj.gov all day - ehole county - NY - measles epidemic Indef duration. Outbreaks of measles in several counties in NYSkies. Of the 1,000+ cases in US, some 800 are in NYSkies! UN WHO warned that if epidemic continues thru yearend, it will revoke US status as a measles-free country. Most counties offer free measles shots. Consult health provider for precautions and vaccination. all day - H&M WTC line - NJ - WTC station closings Thru late 2020. World Trade Center station closes every weekend to repair tunnels under Hudson River ruined by hurricane Sandy. Station closes at 00h on each Saturday, reopens at 05h on following Monday. WTC-bound trains turn at Exchange Pl station. For service to WTC, use 33 St line to connect to NYC subways. www.panynj.gov all day - North Brgen Viaduct - NJ - road closings and rebuild Thru end 2020. One lane in each direction is closed during major rebuild of viaduct on NJ495 between NJ Tpk and Lincoln Tnl. Buses have priority on remaining lanes. On-off ramps for local street close from time to time. www.restorenj495.com all day - Canarsie line - MH - night and weekend slowdown Thru mid 2020. Curtailed service 20h to 05h daily and 20h Fri-05h Mon on weekends. Trains run single-track thru one tunnel between Bedford Av statio aand 8th Av terminal. Round- trip takes about 20 minutes. Other track and tunnel are closed. Service may change according as progress of work. Normal two-way service runs 05h-20h on weekdays. www.mta.info. all day - Canarsie line - BK - night and weekend slowdown Thru mid 2020. Curtailed service 20h to 05h daily and 20h Fri-05h Mon on weekends. Trains run single-track thru one tunnel between Bedford Av statio aand 8th Av terminal. Round- trip takes about 20 minutes. Other track and tunnel are closed. Service may change according as progress of work. Normal two-way service runs 05h-20h on weekdays. www.mta.info. all day - whole island - LI - clearsky starviewing VARIOUS PLACES, DATES, HOURS; INQUIRE AT CONTACT Amat Obsrs Soc. Sessions convene in parks usually at dusk. Occasional daytime sunviewing. Free. Cancelled for clouds. www.aosny.org, suerose@optonline.net 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 stereoprint 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, ist of Events ------------ fri 1 Nov all day - whole City - MH - Observer's Handbook offer OPENS The NYSkies offer for the 2020 RASC Onserver's Handbook opens on September 16. The books are printed in mid October for delivery to NYSkies in late October. You better put in your request NOW. Cost is still $23 per copy, with P&P. www.nyskies.org/oh.htm, nyskies@nyskies.org, www.nyskies.org/ohclub.htm 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 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. Have GI photo ID for campus security. www.pppl.gov/events 15:30 - 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, 18:00 - whole City - MH - autumn Milky Way season Thru Nov 30. Fall 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 west sky at at nightfall. www.nyskies.org/articles/pazmino/milky-ny.htm 18:00 - Montauk - LI - astronomy lecture Montauk Obsy. Montauk Library. Indoor talk, clearsky sunviewing. Free. www.montaukobservatory.com 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 18:30 - McBurney House - MH - NYSkies Astronomy Seminar DISCUSSION: ARE THOSE STARS LOOKING BACK AT US? 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 19:0:0 - 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 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 - Boonton - NJ - Sheep Hill Astro Assn meeting Boonton Senior Ctr. Free. www.sheephillastro.org, contacts@sheephillastro.org, wwestura@optonline.net 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 19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting Union Co Coll, Sperry Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky starviewing. Free. www.asterism.org 19:30 - Pleasantville - NY - Westchester Amat Astro meeting Pace Univ, Lienhard Hall, Free. www.westchesterastronomers.org, waa-president@westchesterastronomers.org 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 - 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 20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture Stamford Obsy. $5. Indoor lecture, clearsky starviewing. 203-322-6537, www.stamfordmuseum.org info@stamfordmuseum.org Sat 2 Nov 14:00 - Avenues HQ - MH - New York Map Society lecture 11 E 26 St, 17th floor. Various topics about map making, cartography, geography. Free, adv regn reqd. Have GI photo ID for caampus security. www.newyorkmapsociety.org, mapsocietyny@gmail.com 19:00 - West Reading - CT - clearsky starviewing New Pond Farm, obseratory. $10, adv regn reqd. cancelled for clouds. www.newpondfarm.org, 203-938-2117 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 - 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 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing Astro Soc of Gtr Hartford, Wesleyan U, Van Vleck Obsy. Free. cancelled for clouds. www.asgh.org, 860-872-9069, pparkerrs@cs.com 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 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Sun 3 Nov 02:00 - whole City - MH - Eastern Standard Time returns Set clocks BACK, BEHIND, one hour to return to EST. Most readers will do this on the previous night when they go to sleep so they wake up in the proper time. The clock hour 01:00 to 01:59 repeats, first for EDST and again for EST. 13:15 - Uniondale - LI - Amat Obsrs Soc meeting. Hofstra Univ, Berliner Hall. Free. www.aosny.org, suerose@optonline.net 18:00 - 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 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Mon 4 Nov 19:00 - Hayden Planetarium - MH - Frontiers lecture Sounds of the universe'..In Kayfnamm Thtr.Enter at 77 St, Cntl Pk W/Columbus Av. $15, adv regn reqd. 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs Tue 5 Nov all day - whole City - MH - Election Day Please check with event contact for session falling on this day by rule or outdated schedule wed 6 Nov 10:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture Colloquium series. Rutgers Univ, Busch Campus, Astro & Phys Lecture Hall. Free. www.physics.rutgers.edu/colloquium, 732-445-3974+ 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 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 16:15 - Simons Foundation - MH - scinece lecture 160 5 Av & 21 St. 'Reductionism vs. bootstrap: Are big things always made of elementary things?'. Buffet smacks 16:15, lecture 17:00. Free, adv regn reqd. 646-654-0066, ww.simonsfoundation.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 19:30 - 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 20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting Vanderbilt Plm. Free. asliastronomy@yahoo.com, www.asliclub.org 20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing MEETS ONLY DURING CLASSES; INQUIRE AT CONTACT Wesleyan U, Van Vleck Obsy. Free, cancelled for clouds. 860-685-3664, www.wesleyan.edu/astro/events 20:00 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing Westport Astro Soc. Rolnick Obsy. Free. Cancelled for clouds. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925 21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing MEETS ONLY DURING CLASSES; INQUIRE AT CONTACT Vassar College, Observatory. Free. Cancelled for clouds. physicsandastronomy.vassar.edu/observatory.html, 845-437-7340 Thu 7 Nov 13:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture Seminar series. Rutgers Univ, Serin W330. Free. 732-445-3974, www.physics.rutgers.edu/ast/seminar 18:30 - CUNY Graduate Center - MH -'Ciry of sceince' lecture 365 5 Av & 34 St, Skylight Room. 'Exploring the mysteries of black holes'. Free, adv regn reqd. www.gc.cuny.edu/publicprograms 20:00 - Lincroft - NJ - S*T*A*R meeting Brookdale Commty Coll, Mommouth Museum. Free. www.starastronomy.org, s-walters@comcast.net 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 Fri 8 Nov 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 - Torrington - CT - Litchfield Hills Amat Astro Club mtg Central Congregational Church. Free. lhastro.org, lhastro@gmail.com 19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Nov 1 19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Nov 1 19:00 - Toms River - NJ - Astro Soc of Toms Rv Area meeting Ocean Co Coll, Novins Planetarium. Free. www.astra-nj.org, 732-255-0343, webmaster@astra-nj.org 20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Nov 1 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Sat 9 Nov 17:00 - 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 - New Milford - CT - astronomy lecture McCarthy Obsy, New Miford HS. Indoor lecture, clearsky starviewing. Free. www.mccarthyobservatory.org, 860-354-1595, mccarthyobservatory@gmail.com 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Nov 2 20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 2 Sun 10 Nov 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Mon 11 Nov all day - whole City - MH - Veterans Day EVENTS FOR MERCURY TRANSIT MAY BE STAGED TODAY Please check with event contact for session falling on this day by rule or outdated schedule 07:00 - whole City - MH - transit of mErcury Planet Mercury crosses in front of Sun. Requires proper solar solar protection or projection and telescope of min 40 power. Timetable for new York is valid for all of NYSkies within a minute. Note well that times are in EST. Some authors by mistake state hours in EDST or other zone daylight time. --------------------------------------------------------- MERCURY TRANSIT, 2019 NOVEMBER 11 ---------------------------------- timetable of events for New York -------------------------------- EST | event | alt-az | remarks ------+----------- -+--------+-------- 06:08 | civil dawn | -- --- | start of daytime work 06:37 | sunrise | 00 112 | start of daylight 07:36 | 1st contact | 09 123 | Mercury enters Sun, 7:30 position 07:37 | 2nd contact | 10 124 | Mercury fully on Sun 10:20 | mid transit | 29 158 | Mercury deepest into Sun 11:40 | solar noon | 32 180 | Sun crosses meridian 13:03 | 3rd contact | 29 203 | Mercury leaves Sun, 3:00 position 13:04 | 4th contact | 28 204 | Mercury fully off Sun 16:41 | sunset | 00 247 | end of daylight 17:10 | civil dusk |-- --- | end of daytime work --------------------------------------- PLEASE INQUIRE RECTA MENTE AT CONTACT FOR THESE MERCURY TRANSIT VIEWINGS FOR FULL AND LATEST DETAILS. ALSO INQUIRE AT OTHER ASTRONOMY CENTERS IN EARLY NOVEMBER FOR EVENTS MISSING NYC EVENTS. NOTE THAT EVENTS MAY COVER ONLY PART OF MERCURY'S CROSSING OF THE SUN. ------------------------------------------------------------ 07:30 - New Milford - CT - viewing Mercury transit McCarthy Obsy, New Miford HS. Free. `` www.mccarthyobservatory.org, 860-354-1595, mccarthyobservatory@gmail.com 08:30 - Westport - CT - viewing Mercury transit Westport Astro Soc. Rolnick Obsy. Free. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925 ---------------------------- 10:00 - East Hampron - LI - viewing Mercury transit Montauk Obsy. Ross School. Tennis Center. Free. www.montaukobservatory.com 11:00 - Morristown - NJ - viewing Mercury transit Morris Museum Astro Doc. Morris Museum. Free. 973-386-1848, 973-386-1848,, www.morrismuseum.org/astro-society, info@morrismusem.org, ckkrish@gmail.com Tue 12 Nov 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 18:00 - Inst Stud Anc World - MH - cultural lecruee 15 E 84 St, 5/Madison Av. Various topics on history and culture of ancient societies. Free, adv regn reqd. isaw..nyu.edu, isaw@nyu.edu, 212-992-7800 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 Nov 10:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Nov 6 18:30 - CUNY Grad Ctr - MH - Amer Instt Archaeolgy lecture TENTATIVE LOCATION; INQUIRE AT CONTACT 365 Fifth Av, 34 St.Various topics on archaeology and anthropology. Free, adv regn reqd. GI photo ID required for campus security. www.aia-nysociety.org, info@aia-nysociety.org 19:00 - York College - QN - astronomy lecture . Core Academic Bdg, Rm AC-2E01. Indoor lecture, clearsky 20:00 - Upper Montclair - NJ - No Jersey Astro Gp meeting Montclair St Univ, Richardson Hall, Room 232. Free. njastro.org, 973-655-7266 jjj 20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 20:00 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nnov 6 20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Nov 6 21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 Thu 14 Nov 13:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Nov 7 15:00 - Upton - LI - Summer Sundays science show Brookhaven Natl Lab. Bldg 510. 'Cosmology: halo splashback detection'. Free, have GI photo ID for campus security. 631- 344-2651, www.bnl.gov/evnts 18:00 - Inst Stud Anc World - MH - cultural lecruee - see Nov 12 19:30 - Morristown - NJ - Morris Museum Astro Soc meeting Morris Museum. Free. 973-386-1848, 973-386-1848,, www.morrismuseum.org/astro-society, info@morrismusem.org, ckkrish@gmail.com 20:00 - Upper Montclair - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 7 20:30 - Piscataway - NJ - clearsky starviewng 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 Nov 10:00 - Princeton - NJ - science tour - see Nov 1 18:30 - McBurney House - MH - NYSkies Astronomy Seminar DISCUSSION: BINARY STARS 125 W 14 St, 6/7 Av. Discussion of astronomy topics, show & tell, skywatching reports, news of astro activity in NYSkies e territory. Free. nyskies@nyskies.org, www.nyskies.org 19:0:0 - Columbia University - MH - astronomy lecture - see Nov 1 19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Nov 1 20:00 - Litchfield - CT - Litchfield Hills A A C lecture White Meml Consrvn Ctr. Free. Indoor lecture, clearsky starviewing. lhaacsec@gmail.com, lhastro.org 20:00 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc lecture Union Co Coll, Smith Audm. Indoor talk, clearsky starviewing. Free. www.asterism.org 20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Nov 1 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 20:30 - Boonton - NJ - clearsky starviewing Sheep Hill Astro Assn Obsy, Free. Cancelled for clouds. sheephillastro.otg, contacts@sheephillastro.org, wwestura@optonline.net Sat 16 Nov 20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Nov 2 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Sun 17 Nov 14:00 - Airmont - NY - science show Ramapo Challenger Ctr, 225 Rt 29. Multimedia imulation of space missions. $20., director@lhvcc.com, 845-257-3416, ramapoparks#ramapo.org, 15:30 - Greenwich - CT - Astro Soc of Greenwich meeting Greenwich Public Library. Free with musm adm. rickbria@optonline.net, 203-415-6762. astrogreenwich.org 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Mon 18 Nov 19:00 - whole CIty - MH - Globe at Night exercise Thru Nov 27. NYSkies runs its own Globe at Night exercise in 2018-2019 while Orion is in sky at nighfall. Same method and procedure as for prior years for documenting sky transparency over City. Details at www.nyskies.org/gannyc.htm Dates in this page are not yet bumped up, but all instructions and charts are same as in previous years. Tue 19 Nov 18:00 - Inst Stud Anc World - MH - cultural lecruee - see Nov 12 20:00 - Westport - CT - Westport Astro Soc meeting Rolnick Obsy. Free. www.was-ct.org, 203-227-0925 Wed 20 Nov 10:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Nov 6 15:30 - Courant Institute - MH - science lecture - see Nov 6 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 19:30 - Greenwich - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 20:00 - Way Station Pub - BK - Astronomy on Tap meting 683 Washington Av & Prospect Pl (Prospect Hts). Informal astronomy discussion in pub setting. Free, one drink purchase reqd. astronomyontap.org/locatons/new-york-city 20:00 - Centerport - LI - Astro Soc of LI meeting - see Nov 6 20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 20:00 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nnov 6 21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 Thu 21 Nov 13:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Nov 7 20:00 - Upper Montclair - NJ - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 7 20:30 - Piscataway - NJ - clearsky starviewng - see Nov 14 Fri 22 Nov 19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Nov 1 19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Nov 1 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Nov 1 Sat 23 Nov 17:00 - Danbury - CT - astronomy lecture - see Nov 9 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 - 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 Nov 2 20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Sun 24 Nov 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Tue 26 Mov 19:00 - Hayden Planetarium - MH - Astronomy Live! lecture 'Traveling the neighborhood'..Enter at 81 St, Cntl Pk W/Columbus Av. $15, adv regn reqd. 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org/programs 19:30 - 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 Nov 10:30 - Piscataway - NJ - astronomy lecture - see Nov 6 20:00 - Middletown - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 20:00 - Westport - CT - clearsky starviewing - see Nnov 6 21:00 - Poughkeepsie - NY - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 6 Thu 28 Nov all day - whole City - MH - Thanksgiving Day Please check with event contact for session falling on this day by rule or outdated schedule Fri 29 Nov 19:30 - Staten Is Community TV - SI - science show - see Nov 1 19:30 - Cranford - NJ - Amat Astro Inc meeting - see Nov 1 20:00 - Stamford - CT - astronomy lecture - see Nov 1 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 Sat 30 Nov 20:00 - Bear Mountain - NY - clearsky starviewing Rockland Astro Club. Anthony Wayne Rec Pk, picnic field. Free, cancelled for clouds. www.rocklandastronomy.com 20:00 - Inwood Hill Park - MH cleasky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Central Park - MH - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 1 20:00 - Susan Rose Obsy - LI - clearsky starviewing - see Nov 2 20:00 - Southold - LI - Custer Institute meeting - see Nov 2 Events Skipped This Month ----------------------- EVENT MAY RESUME AT DIFFERENT PLACE OR HOUR; INQUIRE AT CONTACT -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- [SPR] SPRING RESUMPTION OF ACTIVITY -------------------------------------- 17:30 - Intrepid Museum - MH - Free Friday show Pier 86 and ship. Exhibits, demos, talks. Clearsky movies and starviewing. Free. www.intrepidmuseum.org 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 - Jenny Jump St Forest - NJ - Utd A C of NJ mtg UACNJ Obsy. Indoor talk, clearsky starviewing. Free. www.uacnj.org 20:30 - Voorhees St Pk - NJ - NJ Astro Assn meeting NJAA-HQ, Robinson Obsy. Indoor lecture, clearsky starviewing. Free. www.njaa.org, 908-368-8500 -------------------------------------- [???] UNCERTAIN RESUMPTION OF ACTIVITY -------------------------------------- 18:00 - Columbia University- MH - Ctr for sci and Soc lecture Fauenweather Hall, Room 513. 'Comparing domains of improvisation'. Free, adv regn reqd. 212-854-7211, scienceandsociety.columbia.edu 18:00 - Hempstead - LI - Amer Instt Aero & Astro lecture Hofstra Univ, Breslin Hall, rm216 . Various topics in aeronautics and astronautics. 'Observations from the Apollo LM to the Shuttlre and ISS, and beyond'. Free, $7 opt pizza-soda, adv regn reqd.718-812-2727, greghomatas@msn.com 19:00 - NY Academy of Sciences - MH - astronomy lecture 'The nystery of our mathematical universe'. $20. www.nyas.org 20:30 - 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, 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 20:300 - 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.nidhudsonastronomy.org General news ---------- On October 28 afternoon people all over the country started getting marketing or scamming phonecalls from '202-502-7313'.This is a US Government phone IN MY AGENCY! It is a phantom number to mask certain agency phones from outsiders. It shows on recipient's Caller ID. When dialed to call back, an intercept reports that the number is not in service. If you receive a call from '202-502-7313', please capture the date, time, town of receipt, caller's name/firm, dialog details. Email these particulars to me at 'john.pazmino@ferc.gov'. I'll pass on the material to my cybersecurity office. Yahoo began on Oct 28 a two-step reduction in its yahoogroup service. First, new uploads to the extra folders like Files, Calendar, Photos, Links are no longer accepted and the group becomes a basic email chat-room. Group members with material in the folders may save it to local storage, delete it, or abandon it. All groups convert to 'private' if they were previously 'public'. New members may join by invite, which they may request from the group's admin. Second, on Dec 14 all extra folders are permanently erased, along with any residual content in them. The NYSkies group 'nysky' for over some 15 years was almost entirely a dialog space worked by email. Its folders were minimally used and any material in them is thoroly ediurnate. NYSkiers having material in the extra folders should review it for save or delete. Else on Dec 1 it goes poof when Yahoo removes permanently the folders. New members may join by sending a request to 'nyskies@nyskies.org' . The member is enrolled under the email's return address. or an other one specified in the request. NYSkies Observer's Handbook offer is halfway subscribed for as at late October. A few clubs put in group requests for their members, pushing the number of taken copies higher than at same point last year. To get your hat on a copy, visit www.nyskies.org/oh.htm please understand that we do not accept 'reservations' or 'set asides' for the book. Only actual requests are handled. Also, we can not at all promise to obtain additional copies to fill a tardy request. City news ------- NYC DOT traffic pattern on 14th St, 3 Av to 9 Av, started on Oct 3. From 06h to 22h on weekdays, center lanes carry commercial vehicles and buses. Curb lanes allow momentary pick-up, drop-off, and entry into parking garages. Buses pull into curb lane to do their stops. All turn into and out of 14th St are only rights, no left turns permitted. A manhole exploded on Oct 10, injyring two workers nearby. The cover was reported at 15:40 EDST as billowing smoke from it. When FDNY arrived a couple minutes later the cover blasted off. situation was stabilized by evening rushhour. NYSkies Astronomy Seminar on 4 October 2019 previewed the autumn stars. We started a bit late because the folding partition in our room was jammed open. It separates us from an adjacent unrelated group meeting. McBurney House moved us to an other room for the meeting. We saw that stars from summer are still in sight in west at nightfall. Stars o winter come into view in east after midnight. The cool mild fall weather makes it comfortable to observe these stars, avoiding the weather prevailing in winter and summer.We examined the two large groups of stars in fall, the Sea and te Andromeda story. The Sea is the region with constellations of an aquatic feature, such as Delphinus, Aquarius, Pisces, Cetus. As far as is known these stars were placed here by chance. Each has its own story separately from adjacent constellations. the andromeda story is written into an other group around Andromeda. The story is traced thru Perseus, Cetus, Cepheus, others, all in one section of the heavens. This deliberate collection is the only one in the heavens.We studied the Milky Way as seen from Earth. In summer we look inward toward the core and denser spiral arms. In winter we see the thin arms. The Milky Way missed from our latitude is the 'southern' MW. With more stars and the bright core the summer MW segment is what we look for in the City's Milky Way seasons. We never see the weaker winter MW. In the sky the Milky Way in fall springs from southwest, to overhead, to northeast. The divide between summer and winter segments is between Cepheus and Cassiopeia. We saw that deepsky targets are disposed in the sky by the MW path. Open clusters and nebulae hug the MW; globular clusters are sprinkled all over the sky; galaxies are massed away from the MW with many in their own clusters. One close galaxy cluster, commonly missed out by observers, is the Sculptor cluster, between Fomalhaut and Diphda. We studied charts of Perseus to compare its open clusters and galaxies. Most clusters align tightly with the MW while galaxies are peppered in the south and west parts of Perseus. We discussed the nebulae, as blocking view beyond them. We study the center of the Milky Way galaxy with infrared and radio bands that dust is transparent to. We recalled a science demo showing how e can 'see' infrared. Most digital image devices are sensitive io the near infrared. By aiming a RV remote control unit at such device, the live-view screen shows the blinking IR lamp as a visible light. We noted that burglars may use their cell phones to scan a house for IR cameras at night. The invisible IR light shows up as a bright spot light on the phone's screen. We lose the two giant planets Jupiter and Saturn in fall, gain Venus as the evening star, and have Uranus and neptune in high south. We learned that while uranus is easily seen in binoculars, or the scopes of earlier centuries, it was not positively recognized as a planet until Herschel found it in 1780s. It was occasionally cataloged as a star and treated as an error when it was not seen at its place again. Today's small scopes show Uranus's disc and green-blue, cyan?, tint. We reminded that much of the summer stars is still in view in fall. We studied a chart of the Cygnus X-1 blackhole, orbiting a 8th magn star in Cygnus. it's a degree east of eta Cygni in high west sky. We discussed three variable stars in fall, delta Cephei, omicron Ceti (Mira), beta Persei (Algol). We compared the natures of their light variations, all easily followed with eye or binoculars. Mira varies with an 11-month cycle and it rising to a peak brightness in October. Algol, an eclipsing binary star, stays bright for a couple days, then dips in brightness and comes back up in a couple hours. If this happens in early night, the 'wink' watched in convenient hours. We learned the history of all three stars with new features of them still being discovered today. Takeaways were charts for autumn, the Sea and Andromeda story; diagram of Milky Way segments seen from New York latitude; charts of open clusters, globular cluster, galaxies in sky relative to Milky Way band; map of clusters and galaxies in Perseus; finder chart for Cugnus X-1 blackhole; charts of motion of Uranus and Neptune; articles and diagrams for del Cep, Mira, Algol; atlas planets covering autumn sky; antique atlas plates for Andromeda and Pegasus. I yploaded new piece telling how Sky & Telescope was rescued from potential death in June 2019. It has a newly issued essay by Amer Astro Soc with historical details. It's at www.nyskies.org/articles/pazmino/aas-s&t.htm New York state inaugurated 'early voting' for the 2019 elections. from Oct 26 to Nov 3 voters may stop at designated polling stations, not always the ones used for general election on Nov 5. Stations open typicly 07h-20h, including both weekends. NYSkies Astronomy Seminar on oct 4 geared us up for the Mercury transit of Nov 11th. We were in our normal room with a repaired room divider. We looked at the orbits of Mercury and Earth and saw that a transit occurs only when both Earth and Mercury are at one of his orbit nodes. This can happen only in early may and early November, with the next instance on november 11, 2019. At this time mercury crosses over the solar disc as a small black dot. For this coming transit the crossing starts at about 07:36 EDST and ends at about 13:04. We emphasized that we will be back in Standard Time, the return being on Nov 3. We studied list of transits to learn that this 2019 event is the last one visible from new York until 2049! Two earlier ones, 2032 and 2039, take place during our night. We reviewed some history of mercury transit from the first predicted one in early 1600s. the first ones were missed because the telescope was not yet invented. Gassendus telescopicly observed the 1631 transit. Later ones were routinely followed. Halley saw the 1677 transit, inspiring him to plan for the Venus transits of the 1700s. He passed on long before then but the transits were recorded by astronomers from all over the world. We learned that an early use of mercury transits, occurring 13 or so times per century, was to get the Earth-Sun distance. The angular diameter of Mercury is easier to measure in a transit than in open sky in twilight. With an assumed linear size of mercury the solar distance is found, but no one knew how big Mercury was. If is was as small as the Moon, the Sun would be about 100 million kilometers away, a stupendous remoteness in the 18th century. A better, but vastly harder, exercise was to track Mercury across the Sun from different places on Earth and solve the long thin triangles with apices at Mercury. The crude 17th-18th century geography thwarted the effort. We no longer have scientific use for transits but in the 1990s a brand- new application came up. Transits are now tests and calibrations for instruments searching for exoplanets by the transit method. When a planet crosses its home star it cuts off a bit of the star's light. Sensing and analyzing this dip in brightness some information about the planet is extracted. Mercury is a known planet crossing a known star, ideal to prove out the instruments. We studied ways to observe the transit, noting that the usual solar eclipse methods, while sage, will not show Mercury. His dot on the Sun is too small. A regular telescope is needed, with the proper solar filters or projection. Some of us have the filters saved from the 2017 solar eclipse. We cautioned that the Sun has no topographic surface features, making orientation in the telescope filed tricky. Mercury for new York enters the Sun at 7:30 on the disc and leaves at about 3:00. We vowed to practice transit viewing with the Moon, whose orientation is obvious fo=ro her surface details. As at the meeting time there were no public viewings of the transit announced. November 11is Veterans Day and the holiday could complicate arrangements for setting up a public viewing program. Any sessions in hand later in October will go into NYC Events but it is well to directly inquire at the local astronomy center. We saw that sunspots could e mistaken for mercury under too low a power. mercury is a perfectly round black dot while sunspots are typicly irregular and have a paenumbra. We looked at dangling items from previous meetings. As homework for the precession Seminar we saw how Crux is carried out of new York's sky since classical times. It starts to leave in about 500BC and is fully gone, never rising, by about 700AD. We examined simulations of the 1953BC convention of planets and Moon and its relation to the Nile river culture. We compared it to the similar one coming in 2040. We studied 1600s maps of North America to see how badly many places were plotted. An astronomer at one of these will record a wrong lat-lon, upending his transit observations. After the meeting we looked at the new traffic flow in 14th St, outside our room. There were few commercial vehicles, several buses, no thru- flowing cars. Curb lanes had only a couple parked cars in them. Takeaways were diagrams of Mercury and Earth orbits, data sheet for the transit, tables of past and future transits, timetable of activity for new York, Gassendus picture of the 1631 transit, pictures of various solar viewing methods, diagrams of triangulate on mercury, diagram of light dimming during a transit, diagram of contact moments, picture of Mercury with sunspots, starmap sequence for Crux emigration, the two plant conventions, maps of North America, In late September into mid october NYS MTA removed all bus schedules from bus stop display boxes! They are replaced by a panel telling how to get bus information by phone, web, texting. Move supposedly saves MTA some $55,000, much of which displaced by added costs for computer and phone handling. Lack of on-site schedule makes it much harder to anticipate bus arrival and warn of weekend or night off-duty periods. Sky News ------ october on the whole was a refreshingly cool comfortable month for observing. Rain was mostly many-hour long spans of light fall, not the short dense downpours of earlier months. We enjoyed pleasant viewing of summer stars in the west and winter ones in the east. No Milky Way sightings yet. Last punch of summer torridity and humidity hit NYSkies on Oct 2, following several days of glatt autumn weather. Temp peaked in early afternoon at 30C-32C, letting people shed most outerwear. Rest of October enjoyed cool mild weather, with some light rain. First frost of 2019-20 winter hit NYC in predawn of october 5. Temp touched 0C, then gently rose to 5C by daybreak. rest of day was mild ~10C. Some readers noted first turn-on of home heating when they woke up on the 5th. Metro-North sector of NYSkies was hit by two earthquakes in October. On the 24 22:41 EDST. A 1.1 magn quake rattled 1km E of WeST Nyack NY,A 1.3 magn tremor hit 2km W of Mamaroneck NY at 20:19 EDST on the 28th. Both were about 4km deep and likely were 'rebound' or 'relaxation' shudders rom the last glacial era. Neither caused significant property damage or any human injuries. By mid October most observers caught sight of Venus low in west above sunset point. She is telescopicly a small fully-lighted disc. Some observers hunting up Mercury, with the excitement of the November 11 transit, when Venus conjuncts with him. We return to Eastern Standard Time on November 3 02h. Instantly 02:00 is touched, the 01:00-01:59 block repeats. Most folk set clocks back, behind, one hour when going to bed on the 2nd. They wake up on the 3rd in the correct clock mode. Please note that some authors, by mistake, are stating hours for the Mercury transit in daylight savings time. Event takes place after the switch back to standard time. NYSkies opens it Globe at Night season 1in November, with orion moving into late evening sky. It runs thru April 2020 when Orion slides into evening twilight. We inspect orion to assess sky transparency on every clear night to document sky conditions in NYSkies land. This displaces anecdote and eroding memory of observing situations. Details and instructions at www.nyskies.org/gannyc.htm Be sure to build up some night vision before taking an orion measurement. Else the transparency is recorded way too low by a couple magnitudes. Strong windstorm sweeped over NYSkies in evening of Oct 16 into afternoon of the 17th. Some areas also got rain and flooding. Winds up to 80KPH ore off loose furniture and fixtures, pulled down power lines, clogged streets with debris .