Summer Nights

With the warm weather and some beautiful sights overhead, summer is a great time to observe the night sky, so go out and take a look as often as you can. Whether you have a large telescope, a pair of binoculars, or just your two eyes, there is something for everyone to enjoy.  Throughout the summer, the Milky Way stretches across the sky during the evening hours.  It is great naked-eye sight from a dark location away from city lights. If you have binoculars or a telescope of any size, the Milky Way contains numerous open clusters, globular clusters, and nebulae to track down. The annual Perseid meteor shower arrives in August, and several smaller showers occur both earlier and later in the summer, so if you sit back in a lawn chair and gaze upward on any clear, moonless night, with a little patience you are likely to catch a few meteors flashing across the sky.

Features

If you have not looked at the newsletter before, check out some of the regular features.  There are four useful links in the menu at the top of this page:

Calendar  This is a monthly calendar that includes all the scheduled events of ASNH, other regional events of interest, plus the dates and times of noteworthy events in the night sky.

SkyMap  This page has a chart of the sky as it appears over the New Haven area at the present date and time.  It is constantly updated, so you can go to this page on any clear night to see what is overhead.

Space Place  Read the monthly article from Space Place.

Directions  This page gives directions to all the locations where regular activities of ASNH take place, including the monthly meeting, public observing sessions, and the annual Connecticut Star Party.

Other regular features can be found within these pages:

Upcoming Public Events  Many ASNH events are free and open to the public.  These include the monthly meetings, open houses at Bethany Observatory, and public observing sessions at Silver Sands State Park in Milford and Young’s Pond Park in Branford.  This section gives the dates, times, and descriptions of these events.

Upcoming Events for ASNH Members  These events are for ASNH members only.  Some of these are outreach events where volunteers are needed with the telescopes and equipment.

Night Sky Highlights  For those who are new to astronomy, this section lists some objects to observe in the sky during the next few months, whether you are using just your eyes, a pair of binoculars, or a telescope.

Gallery  This section will feature recent photographs of celestial targets taken by ASNH members and others.  If you have a picture you want to share with us, please submit it to newsletter@asnh.org.

Upcoming Public Events

These events are free and open to the public. Our members will also point out the stars, planets, and constellations that you can see with the naked eye.  If you have your own telescope or binoculars, feel free to bring them.  If you have a telescope but don’t know how to operate it, our experienced observers can help you learn to use your equipment. If the weather looks questionable for an observing event, check the ASNH website before you leave home.  There will be a scrolling message on the home page if an event has been cancelled.

Saturday, August 9, beginning at sunset
Ansonia Nature Center, Ansonia, CT
Public observing session

Friday, September 19, beginning at sunset
Bethany Observatory, Bethany, CT
Open house and public observing session 

Upcoming Event for ASNH members

Saturday, September 13, beginning at sunset
Bauer Park Outreach, Madison, CT
Observing session

Connecticut Star Party

Friday, September 26 – Sunday, September 28
June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation, Ashford, CT
Register now for this event