What we’re about
We are a group of people in the Mid-Hudson Valley who are interested in Astronomy and Science. We hold monthly star parties at Lake Taghkanic State Park, and monthly presentations at SUNY New Paltz -- both open to the public.
Our star parties are generally held on the Friday before a new moon (with Saturday as a back-up). The dates are listed our web page about Astronomy at Lake Taghkanic State Park. You must register to attend the event (here on Meetup) and you will need to provide your car's license plate and make and model so that we can give that info to the park police. You can see the forecast for viewing conditions on the Lake Taghkanic State Park Clear Sky Chart. If you will be attending one of our star parties it may help for you to review our MHAA Etiquette Guide.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic we hold our monthly meetings both in person at SUNY New Paltz and share then live online using Zoom.
We also participate in local education and outreach events; our members are available to make presentations or arrange for public observations of the night sky or the sun, and to help beginners learn how to get started in astronomy. When the weather allows, we often set up telescopes on the Walkway Over the Hudson when they hold their Walkway At Night events.
Club events are listed on the MHAA Google Calendar. Both our Star Parties and our Monthly Presentations are open to the public. (Our Monthly Presentations are preceded by an open club business meeting, which may be less interesting.)
Recordings of our public presentations, some star parties, and some other activities are available on our YouTube channel. Occasionally our events are also announced (and broadcast and recorded) on Facebook. If you would like to keep up with club news then you can follow us by joining our email list on [groups.io](http://mhaa.groups.io). None of these require you to become an MHAA member.
If you are interested in becoming a member of MHAA (not just following us here on Meetup or by email or Facebook) then you can use these instructions. Annual dues are $25, which we use to support our activities, including insurance for our star parties and paying for Zoom. MHAA members can borrow club telescopes or DVDs from our collection and can participate in exclusive discussions on our Slack discussion channels.
Donations are always welcomed to help support the club's education and outreach activities. You can use this PayPal link or send email to treasurer@midhusonastro.org.
If you have any questions, send them to questions@midhudsonastro.org.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- August 2025 Star PartyLake Taghkanic State Park, Elizaville, NY
Late August, and our second star party of the month due to the lunar cycle. The evenings are getting longer, foreshadowing cooler days to come. Enjoy the night sky away from the bright lights of the towns and cities in our area! The night will be dark - perfect for star gazing. Bring your own telescopes and binoculars or use those provided by our members. A telescope is not required.
Hercules is still high in the sky, while the summer triangle of Altair, Vega, and Deneb will be surrounding the zenith. If you stay late, you'll see Pegasus and the Great Square rise in the east with Perseus' cap just sneaking over the horizon. Many of the fabulous nebulae that track the great arc of the Milky Way will be visible in telescopes and particularly on live-stacked astrophotography screens that will be available for viewing, including the Elephant Trunk (IC1396A, featured image), North American, Pelican, and Veil nebulae.
Telescope operators will arrive about 30 minutes early to set up. Observing begins about an hour after sunset and will probably end around 11, or whenever club members decide. All will take place at the park's West Beach parking lot.
You must RSVP with your car's make, model, and license plate number at least one day beforehand. This info is required by and sent to the State Park authorities because we are there after park hours. If you attend without being on the list and the police show up, the consequences can include revocation of our permit for after hours use.
If you have not been to one of our star parties before then please review our guide to star party etiquette.
A forecast of the viewing conditions can be found on the Astrospheric Sky Forecast. It shows various viewing conditions (cloud cover, transparency, darkness) as well as temperature, wind, etc. If you scroll down the page you'll find additional useful info such as sunset timing, position of the planets, and more.
Note: It's usually pretty warm in late August, but it can sometimes get a bit nippy later in the evening. Bring a light jacket or sweater, and leave it in the car until you need it..
For further information, text or call Tim Denman at 845-245-5483 or Jack Chastain at 845-430-6851.
Featured Image Credit: Michael Goldstein, an MHAA member since 2023, practices Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA), real time astro-imaging, which he frequently demonstrates at Star Parties.
- September 2025 Star PartyLake Taghkanic State Park, Elizaville, NY
Late September brings longer evenings and an hour earlier start than last month. Enjoy the night sky away from the bright lights of the towns and cities in our area! The night will be dark - perfect for star gazing. Bring your own telescopes and binoculars or use those provided by our members. A telescope is not required.
Bootes and Arcturus will make their final appearance of the year, early, Hercules and the fabulous M13 will still be visible. But focus will be shifting eastward, with Pegasus and Andromeda starting to dominate the Eastern skies in the mid-evening. Saturn will also be putting in an appearance and makes a great telescope target. After 8 PM you may be able to see the Great Andromeda Galaxy (featured image) as a barely perceptible smudge with the naked eye, and a definite smudge through binoculars. Viewed via a telescope, you'll be able to see some additional definition. And if someone is demonstrating EAA (stacking and displaying astro images in real time) you might think the Hubble Telescope had been magically transported to the Taghkanic Lake parking lot.
Our featured image of Andromeda here was taken by an MHAA member using his DSLR, a 100mm lens, and a home-made mount, proving that you don't need to spend a fortune to capture great pictures of the heavens.
Telescope operators will arrive about 30 minutes early to set up. Observing begins about an hour after sunset and will probably end around 11, or whenever club members decide. All will take place at the park's West Beach parking lot.
You must RSVP with your car's make, model, and license plate number at least one day beforehand. This info is required by and sent to the State Park authorities because we are there after park hours. If you attend without being on the list and the police show up, the consequences can include revocation of our permit for after hours use.
If you have not been to one of our star parties before then please review our guide to star party etiquette.
A forecast of the viewing conditions can be found on the Astrospheric Sky Forecast. It shows various viewing conditions (cloud cover, transparency, darkness) as well as temperature, wind, etc. If you scroll down the page you'll find additional useful info such as sunset timing, position of the planets, and more.
Note: Early Fall viewing conditions can be very clear - and therefore chillier than you might expect. Since you will be standing around looking at the stars for a while you may feel even colder than otherwise when outdoors. Dress warmly and consider bringing extra layers in case you get colder as the night goes on.
For further information, text or call Tim Denman at 845-245-5483 or Jack Chastain at 845-430-6851.
Featured Image Credit: Joe Sorace is a new MHAA member and a beginning astrophotographer with a passion for capturing the beauty of the night sky. His journey into astrophotography is fueled by a curiosity about the universe and a desire to share it with others. His favorite objects include Galaxies, Star clusters, Nebulae, and Dark Nebulae.
