Click here for the Jupiter and Venus Conjunction Star Party

Well Happy New Year's Eve to all out there in Whoville. Here we celebrate the establishment of a midwinter festival from the 16th century. Most people did not use the January 1 as the "New Year" until the latter part of the 1500's.

In any event, people are buying flowers and coming home from wherever. It is pretty cold out tonight, with a sub-zero wind chill and blowing snow from this afternoon's dusting. I figured I would take my Mighty ETX 90 out and give it a go.

I set up on the corner of Isham and Cooper, right by the Terrace. It didn't take long to realize that it can get pretty cold, pretty fast. Anyway, I only spent about an hour outside, and the Moon was in a lovely waxing crescent phase. Venus was in quarter phase, just below it in the sky. The wind kicked up quite a lot of snow, and it was blowing all around. After the telescope cooled off (didn't take long...) the images were only made blurry by the fact that the heat coming off the apartment buildings was giving a shimmer. Otherwise, the Moon was gorgeous.

Amazingly enough, I had about 20 people stop by and take a peek at the Moon and also at Venus. I gave out a few cards, and hopefully we'll get some more people next time! I am always amazed that people will stop in such awful weather to look at the sky. It is truly something. It proves to me that the project next year will be a truly successful one. The City wants it. The neighbors love it. It is a marvelous thing to be able to give the sky through a telescope to people.

In all, it was a great way to see the sky on a New Year's Eve. Now on to a party at Ali and Yianni's

About Jason Kendall

I am the NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador for New York City. I hold a Master of Science in Astronomy from New Mexico State University and am currently adjunct faculty at William Paterson University. I have led numerous "starwatching parties" and astronomy events in New York City, New Mexico, Minnesota and Texas. It all started way back in the fourth grade by the encouragement of two noted astronomers, Charles Schweighauser and Bart Bok. I saw Saturn through Charlie's telescope at then Sangamon State University on a clear Illinois night, and Bart encouraged me under those stars to study hard to come visit him at Kitt Peak National Observatory. I finally did make it down there about a decade after Bart passed away, and I found the favorite spots in Tucson, Arizona, where Bart and his wife Priscilla would spend when they were not gazing at the stars. Bart and his wife were pioneers in the study of the Milky Way, and their studies of the starforming regions called Bok Globules. It's even in my family. My great-grandfather was a Midwestern minister who used to preach his sermons out under the dark, cloudless nights. He always believed that getting out and experiencing the wonders of the natural world was a central part of being human. My family has always been inspired by his words: "We look up to look within." I hope that you'll join me under the stars or at one of my talks.

Come see what's up in the sky!

Jason Kendall
NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador to New York City

The Inwood Astronomy Project is thankful for the support of the NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassadors Program, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York Public Library, the International Year of Astronomy and the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York


We look up to look within