May 2024 Star Party

Enjoy the mid Spring constellations 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.

Gemini will be visible early, and Leo will be dominating the night sky, along with Ursa Major (which includes the Big Dipper). Hercules will be rising towards the end of the evening. "Galaxy Season" will be in full swing. The famous Leo Triplet should be visible both through the eyepiece and live-stacked on a screen.

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 at http://midhudsonastro.spy-hill.net/MHAA_Star_Party_Etiquette_Guide.pdf.

A forecast of the viewing conditions can be found on the Clear Sky Chart for Lake Taghkanic State Park. It shows various viewing conditions (cloud cover, transparency, darkness) as well as temperature, wind, etc. Even more information about Astronomy at Lake Taghkanic State Park is available at http://www.spy-hill.net/myers/astro/ltsp/

Note: Mid Spring viewing conditions can be very clear – and are usually pretty mild. However, since you will be standing around looking at the stars for a while, you may feel colder than you expect. Consider bringing a sweater or jacket 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: Michael Goldstein, an MHAA member since 2023, practices Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA), real time astro-imaging, which he frequently demonstrates at Star Parties.