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Seeing What There Is To See Stargazing Opportunities in City Environments By: Justin Starr tw: @UrbanAstroNYC blog: UrbanAstro.org October 10, 2011; 6:10am Coffee in hand, I disembark the elevator and enter the lobby of my Upper East Side apartment building. As I walk past the doorman we smile at one another and exchange “Good mornings.” I step out into the darkness and look up to see what there is to see. Standing tall and mighty over the 4-story apartment building across the street, Orion the Hunter greets me and sends me on my way to my regular morning commute.
Oscar looking after the telescope, Central Park, New York, USA
I love stargazing. It so happens that I also live in a big city. Not just any city, mind you, but New York City. And not just any borough of New York City either, but right on the island of Manhattan. Now I know what you’re thinking: “But Justin, how can you possibly do any stargazing? Don’t you realise you live in a lightpolluted concrete jungle?” (I am, of course, imagining the typical reader as being from the UK.) For starters, it’s not as bad as one might think. Sure, it is far from ideal, but there is actually quite a bit one can observe and activities to enjoy, even here. There are, however, many things you may want to take into consideration if you live in an urban metropolis and seek to engage in the awe -inspiring splendor that is astronomical observation (and, if you so desire, astrophotography). Location November 30, 2012; 9pm Dinner with my brother and his friends was a lot of fun. We are now walking through Times Square to our respective subways when I look up to see what there is to see. Proud and bright, Jupiter
New York Skyline, Perseus, Andromeda & Cassiopeia
www.astronomy-wise.com