{"id":2444,"date":"2014-02-10T11:33:43","date_gmt":"2014-02-10T11:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.195.124.159\/~booyorkc\/?p=2444"},"modified":"2018-08-28T20:17:45","modified_gmt":"2018-08-28T20:17:45","slug":"planets-club-more-stars-than-broadway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/booyorkcity.com\/planets-club-more-stars-than-broadway\/","title":{"rendered":"Planets club catches more stars than Broadway"},"content":{"rendered":"

The brightest object that most Manhattanites ever see in the night sky is the beacon on the Empire State Building, but it\u2019s also possible to marvel at the wonders of the universe for free \u2013 right in the centre of the city.<\/p>\n

A dedicated group from the Amateur Astronomers\u2019 Association allows the public to view the planets through their powerful telescopes on the High Line, countering the myth that New York is too light-polluted to stargaze from.<\/p>\n

AAA member Rori Baldari \u2013 who regularly attends the observations, which start up again after winter in April – said: \u201cPeople are often surprised to learn that there are many bright objects that can be seen from the city. Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, various double stars and, of course, the Moon, are just some of the objects that can be viewed under urban skies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best reactions are from those people who have never looked through a telescope before. They can\u2019t believe their eyes and many jokingly suggest we\u2019re using pictures in front of our scopes to trick them! I always prove them wrong!<\/p>\n

\"MOON...one<\/a>

MOON…one man who was shown the lunar surface in detail through Rori’s ‘scope claimed he would have to re-think his life after seeing it<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI like to show people objects that are bright and easy to see. So for example, if Saturn is out, you can clearly see the rings and possibly its largest moon, Titan. On Jupiter, you can expect to see some subtle surface markings in the form of weather bands, and possibly all four Galilean moons.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to the Moon\u2019s close proximity to Earth – roughly 250,000 miles – countless craters, ancient lava beds and other geologic features can be seen in astounding detail. All of these objects carry a big \u201cwow\u201d factor with first-time observers.\u201d<\/p>\n

For those wanting to take the hobby more seriously, decent starter telescopes come in at around $300, but it\u2019s not necessary to splash out or even have any knowledge of the heavens: AAA members are happy to let people look through their telescopes, and answer questions about the stars.<\/p>\n

\"SATURN...it's<\/a>

SATURN…it’s possible to see this planet’s spectacular rings from the High Line<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

As well as the High Line sessions every Tuesday, the AAA \u2013 which has around 600 members – holds two annual observing events: Spring Starfest in the Bronx, on March 22, and Fall Starfest, in November in Central Park.<\/p>\n

The AAA specifically go to places where they will run into the public, such as parks, or even street corners, to get new people interested in astronomy. And although Rori admits the conditions can be far from perfect, it\u2019s still worth it to see the awe in people\u2019s faces and, sometimes, the change in their perspective on life.<\/p>\n

She says: \u201cThere\u2019s no denying the light pollution issues – we are always battling with street lights, car headlights and such. But this is where the action is, and it\u2019s a real honor to be doing this type of outreach. I have so much fun speaking with people who are truly enthusiastic about astronomy and our place in the universe.<\/p>\n

\"EDUCATOR...Rori<\/a>

EDUCATOR…Rori Baldari shows passersby how her telescope works on the High Line just before dusk falls. \u00a0 \u00a0 Pic by Jacqui Polonko<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cOn the High Line one evening, a young man was so taken with the Moon\u2019s mysterious beauty, that he said it changed his life and he had to re-think his entire outlook on existence. At first I thought he was pulling my leg, but his girlfriend assured me that was not the case. I think he was high on the realization that we are truly part of something larger than any of us can imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s that sense of being part of something larger that gives the hobby its addictively relaxing quality. Rori \u2013 who is a graphic designer – explains: \u201cWe live on one small planet, and most of us constrict our thoughts and daily concerns here. When I look at the stars, I see that I am part of something vast, and suddenly my entire sphere of existence becomes expanded. It\u2019s relaxing in the sense that when I\u2019m in front of my telescope, I\u2019m not thinking about my daily struggles and get absorbed in the craters on the Moon, or the moons of Jupiter.<\/p>\n

\"PLANETS...a<\/a>

PLANETS…a vintage map of the solar system, showing Venus, Earth and Mars in relation to the Sun<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThrough astronomy, I think I\u2019ve learned more about myself; that I want to know more about the nature of the world around us, and what part I play in the vast cosmos we inhabit. I think my love of astronomy relates to my desire to feel connected to something greater than myself in a profound way.\u201d<\/p>\n

*The free High Line meetings are near the 14th<\/sup> St entrance every Tuesday at dusk, from April 2 until the end of October. Membership of the AAA costs $35 and includes free admission to all lectures, meetings and special events, as well as reduced fees for other classes, and free subscription to Eyepiece magazine. See www.aaa.org<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n

*For more information on the High Line, visit: www.thehighline.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The brightest object that most Manhattanites ever see in the night sky is the beacon on the Empire State Building, but it\u2019s also possible <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2492,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[100,94,101,103,97,102,98,77,93,78,96,99,95,104],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPlanets club catches more stars than Broadway<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The brightest object that most Manhattanites ever see in the night sky is the beacon on the Empire State Building, but it\u2019s also possible to marvel at the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/booyorkcity.com\/planets-club-more-stars-than-broadway\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta 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