Spotting a star in the city isn’t exactly hard—they’re everywhere—but between skyscrapers and city smog, catching a glimpse of one in the sky is infinitely more satisfying.
The impending winter chill freezes moisture out of the sky, making for clear views and the perfect setting to pile on layers, grab some binoculars and cozy up with your favorite people, or a new date. (Save the spiked cocoa for post-stargazing—alcohol impairs night vision.) We’ve mapped out your winter stargazing calendar so you can invoke Carl Sagan while reading the skies.
The Amateur Astronomers Association of New York (AAA) has educated New Yorkers about astronomy since 1927, hosting free star-watching events throughout the city (telescopes provided), including Manhattan’s Inwood Park (November 18th), Great Kills National Park on Staten Island (November 19th), and Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn (December 2nd). Or, host your own event. “We have 400 members in the NY metro area, and a star party can be arranged,” says astronomer Jason Kendall, AAA board member and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Solar System Ambassador to NYC.
On December 16th, Caroline Moore, the youngest person to discover a supernova (and star of her own Google commercial) discusses her findings as part of Columbia Astronomy Public Outreach’s lecture and rooftop stargazing series, while out on Long Island, Custer Observatory, L.I.’s oldest public observatory, hosts Meteor Shower parties on November 19th and December 17th.
If your sweetie yearns to see the stars but you aren’t quite ready to pony up the $20,000 deposit for the Virgin Galactic Experience, name a star after them, or spring for a night out at Astronomy Live: Winter Skies at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium (December 27th). You’ll learn about the circumpolar stars, followed by a Star Party hosted by AAA on the planetarium’s gorgeous Arthur Ross Terrace. Prep for the visit with the free Cosmic Discoveries app, released in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Rose Center for Earth and Science, or Stellarium—free, open source software that creates a realistic 3D sky on your computer.
When it comes to impromptu constellation sightings, a clear, cold, dark night is the first sign of success. Consult the National Weather Service (where all the news channels get their data, according to Kendall) and the Clear Sky Chart, before heading out. “If there are any clouds at all, even just a few, the experience is dulled,” says Kendall. Pick a spot far from direct streetlights (at least 100-200 yards), and don’t worry about a telescope. “Nothing beats that first time, ‘I found-it-myself’ wonder you get with a pair of simple [binoculars] you can get almost anywhere,” says Kendall.
So what are you looking at, anyway? “If you go out after midnight, it’s possible to see meteors streak across the sky,” says Kendall. “Right now, Jupiter dominates the evening sky, being the brightest thing in the East, after the Moon, and if you look through even small binoculars, you’ll see four tiny dots around it—Jupiter’s moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. It’s an amazing sight. Saturn will rise in the early morning in the coming months and binocular views are a treat, allowing you to see its gorgeous rings.”
There’s a Shakespearean element in finding one’s own little piece of the sky above our bright lights and big city. “The lessons, knowledge, wonder and romance of those little lights in the sky crosses all cultures and all languages,” says Kendall. “We all feel the same awe and quiet when we look up in the sky.”
