{"id":4011,"date":"2026-09-24T17:05:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T21:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/?p=4011"},"modified":"2026-09-24T17:05:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T21:05:14","slug":"octnovdec2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/2026\/09\/24\/octnovdec2026\/","title":{"rendered":"OctNovDec2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Connecticut Star Party 36<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation, Goshen CT<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

September 11-13, 2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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By Donna Pursley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday was a really nice day. The set-up for CSP for more relaxed for me this year because we had a few very helpful volunteers helping out. There was a nice row of tents on one side of the field and campers on the other. The \u2018back 40\u2019 turned into a camping field with lots of campers and people viewing near their tents. I think this setup turned out very well. Every year the arrangement is a little different. The warming tent in its closer location to the field was a big hit with all the snacks. The kids especially liked the hot chocolate at night. Next year we will need to have more hot water so the adults can have some hot chocolate later at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sky was good for Friday night. It wasn\u2019t too cold, or windy. We still had to deal with the city sky glow, but that is Connecticut. People set up as close to or far away from other people as they saw fit. The field is way big enough for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday had some terrific talks. Pete Kandefer of the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club talked about meteor showers and meteor storms have been studied over the centuries. Dr. Roy Kilgard of Wesleyan University gave a presentation about his research on x-ray binaries and the evolution of black holes. Dr. Rob Zellem from the NASA Godard Space Flight Center, presenting via Zoom, gave us an exciting preview of the newly-launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and it future observing programs. We appreciate Dr. Zellem’s patience as we struggled through a series of technical problems with our audio and video connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the day went on, there was talk of rain coming in by Sunday morning. Forecast were for as much as 1 inch an hour. Because of this, most people packed up their scopes during the day on Saturday. No one wants to pack up in the rain. By nightfall, even all the tents were packed up. People either went home after dinner or stayed in one of the bunk houses to stay dry. I don\u2019t know if anyone was able to get any viewing in. It looked like there were holes in the clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many children this year. The kid\u2019s raffle had something for everyone. Al and Greg made the calling of the numbers very enjoyable. All the kids were so excited to win something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many, many door prizes. It is nice to see how excited adults can get when they win a prize. The raffle included binoculars, eyepieces, excellent reference material, meteorites, a Meade 4.5-inch Lightbridge scope, and the grand prize, a SeeStar S30 Pro smart telescope.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right after the raffle, the ASNH board had a special announcement. Since Greg Barker is retiring at the end of 2026 after 22 years as ASNH President, we awarded him with a beautiful cake, a lifetime membership, a plaque and a gift card to his favorite restaurant. It is difficult to express how grateful we all are for Greg\u2019s long tenure as president and his dedication to ASNH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we only had one good night of viewing, CSP is not just about the dark skies and great observing field. We always enjoy the terrific speakers and the comradery of other amateur astronomers from all over the area that we only get to see once a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecticut Star Party 36:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecticut Star Party 36:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecticut Star Party 36:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Public Outreach at Brooksvale Park, Hamden, August 28<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

By Donna Pursley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was cloudy all day, just like almost every other day this year. The forecast said that it might clear up and give us a chance of some viewing at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had not been to Brooksvale Park for a long time. This year it was an event put on by the Hamden library. We had about half a dozen scopes, binoculars and a mini Dwarf smart scope set up. Before it was dark there were dozens of kids running around and having fun. The children out-numbered the adults by a good margin. I was getting worried about how so much energy would translate into good behavior while at the scopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t know, but it was like there must have been some prepping because the children were on their best behavior when they looked through my scope. Not one tried to grab the eyepiece, or fight over who was next in line. They all tried to see what they were looking at in the scope in the sky. The adults were very helpful. At 9 pm, all of a sudden, everyone disappeared! There were a few stragglers, but that was about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sky was on again \/ off again with the clouds and the low haze. I would chalk this up to another successful event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Astronomy Links<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

From Ray Kaville<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Space Daily is on YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the journey to the Moon, dark-adapted Apollo crews averaged one unexplained flash of light every 2.9 minutes \u2014 roughly 20 per hour \u2014 from something that had no business existing behind closed eyes<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 3 Biggest “Mistake Telescopes” That People Buy – Which Ones Are They?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What scientists are learning after SpaceX debris crashed into the moon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apollo 11 Wasn’t Alone on the Moon…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Webb Just Revisited the EXTREME Deep Field. What It Saw Was AMAZING!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Features<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calendar<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SkyMap<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Directions <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other regular features can be found within these pages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Night Sky Highlights <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallery<\/strong> This section features photographs of celestial targets taken by ASNH members and others<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Upcoming Observing Events<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Members with telescopes are needed for these outreach events. If the weather looks questionable for an observing event, check the ASNH website<\/a> after 4:00 pm. There will be a scrolling message on the home page if an event has been cancelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday, October 16, 7:00 pm<\/strong>
Silver Sands State Park
Milford CT (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday, October 17, 7:00 pm<\/strong>
Young\u2019s Park
60 Blackstone Ave, Branford CT (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday, October 25, 7:00 pm<\/strong> (rain date, Sunday, November 22)
Madison Moonlight Walk, Madison Surf Club
87 Surf Club Road, Madison CT (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday, November 6, 7:00 pm<\/strong> (rain date, Saturday, November 7)
Hammonasset Beach State Park
Meigs Point Nature Center, 1288 Boston Post Rd, Madison CT (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday, November 13, 7:00 pm<\/strong>
Silver Sands State Park
Milford CT (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday, November 14, 7:00 pm<\/strong>
Young\u2019s Park
60 Blackstone Ave, Branford CT (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday, November 21, 7:00 pm<\/strong>
Colchester Land Trust
Cold Spring Farm, 46 Town Road, Colchester (map<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please check the online calendar for additions to our outreach events: https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/Outreach\/SPEvents.php <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upcoming Monthly Meetings on Zoom<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday, October 27, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, November 24, 7:00 pm

A week or two before each meeting, members will receive an email announcement with a link that will allow them to connect to the online meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just click the link or copy and paste in your browser and that will connect you to the meeting. You can do this on any device that has an internet connection and a browser.  You can do this on a smart phone. You can display yourself if you like with your selfie camera on your device. If you don’t that’s okay, don’t feel you have to.

You can also dial in to the meeting. The number and password will be given in the announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Observing Reports<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

By Michael Amato<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I took this image on Tuesday evening, August 11, of what looked like a tornado but actually was not. This was what is called a Scud Cloud that formed itself to look like a tornado. In fact, it is sometimes nicknamed a Scudnado. It does look ominous though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rose and I went to Long Wharf Park in New Haven on August 12 to observe the partial solar eclipse. Even though less than 13% of the sun was covered we still enjoyed looking at it with my Sun Spotter Solar Scope and our eclipse glasses. Meanwhile, my brother Anthony took out our Seestar 30 telescope in his backyard and the image below is what he turned out. All three of us enjoyed observing this eclipse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anthony imaged the Vela Nebula and edited the image using a process that can be used by our Seestar 30 scope. Other members of our Seestar Facebook group already started using this. The process is called “Over Editing” and this image is the result. I love our Seestar scope!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Friday evening August 21, I attended an outdoor play with my friends Heidi, Vicki, Tracey and Rose. As the play was going along, a bright Perseid meteor flew over the outdoor stage in front of 500 people. After the play ended, I asked Rose if she saw the meteor. Right away, she excitedly said yes and knew it was a meteor. Rose and I then explained to the other members of our group what they saw was a Perseid meteor. This is the second time in the last three years we saw a Perseid meteor flash over the stage. We all agreed it was a great play and great meteor. It was great luck the clouds broke up in time for us to see the meteor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image below by Anthony is a panoramic view of the Coathanger taken with our Seestar 30 scope on September 4. I also viewed the entire Coathanger with my 5.1″ Short Tube Newtonian Reflector. My brother and I are lucky we have two scopes that can fit the entire Coathanger. Looking at the Coathanger is great in our binoculars also.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On September 15,  Anthony imaged M31, M32 and M110 with our Seestar 30 scope while we were enjoying our scope. All three objects fit neatly into one frame with this telescope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Night Sky Highlights for October-December 2026<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Mazur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solar System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mercury<\/strong>
The best chance to see Mercury this fall will be in mid-November, when it will be low in the eastern sky just before dawn. With a magnitude around zero, it should be bright enough to spot in the morning twilight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venus<\/strong>
Venus will pass by the Sun in October, then start to appear in the eastern sky before dawn in November and December.

Mars<\/strong>
In early October, Mars will pass by the Beehive Cluster, visible in the early morning hours. During the rest of the fall it will move past Jupiter and into Leo. Its size will continue to be small, slowly growing from about 6″ to 10″ in diameter during the fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jupiter<\/strong>
Jupiter will be visible in the early morning sky in the constellation Leo, not far from first-magnitude Regulus.

Saturn<\/strong>
Saturn will rise around sunset in early October, and as the fall progresses it will get higher and higher in the east as darkness falls. Its rings are starting to open up again, making for interesting viewing with any telescope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uranus<\/strong>
This greenish gas giant will be near the Pleiades and Hyades, well placed for convenient viewing throughout the fall and winter months of 2026-27. A finder chart can be found at: https:\/\/theskylive.com\/uranus-info<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neptune<\/strong>
Neptune is close to Saturn, and like Saturn it will be visible in the evening sky throughout the fall. A finder chart for Neptune is available here: https:\/\/theskylive.com\/neptune-info<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep Sky Objects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Messier 15, Pegasus<\/strong>
One of the largest and brightest globular clusters, with a very dense center, about 33,000 light years away. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Messier 33 (Triangulum Galaxy)
<\/strong>One of the closest spiral galaxies at a distance of about 2.8 million light years, this galaxy is very large and diffuse, and is best viewed with a wide-field eyepiece. Under dark skies, some people have seen it with the naked eye. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Messier 27 (Dumbbell Nebula), Vulpecula
<\/strong>A very large and bright planetary nebula, probably the easiest one to observe with a small scope. With telescopes of medium aperture, its hourglass shape can be seen. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Messier 76 (Little Dumbbell Nebula), Perseus<\/strong>
After viewing the Dumbbell Nebula, try for this much smaller and dimmer planetary nebula (about 8 times smaller in diameter). Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Messier 74, Pisces<\/strong>
A face-on spiral galaxy, about 32 million light years away. Because of its low surface brightness, it is challenging to find with a small scope. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Messier 77<\/strong>, Cetus<\/strong>
A spiral galaxy, magnitude 9, also called Cetus A, which is an example of a Seyfert galaxy–one with an active nucleus that is a strong emitter of radio waves. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NGC 147 and 185 (Caldwell 17 and 18), Cassiopeia<\/strong>
Two dwarf elliptical galaxies that are satellites of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) which is about 7 degrees away. Both ellipticals are dim and diffuse, and need a dark sky to see well. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NGC 7789 (Caroline’s Rose), Cassiopeia<\/strong>
A rich open cluster of some 900 stars, discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783. An excellent target for fall viewing. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eta Cassiopeiae (Achird) <\/strong>
A naked-eye star (magnitude 3.4) that reveals itself to be a double star in a small scope. Its companion is magnitude 7.5, separated by 13.4″. The larger star is about the same size, color, and brightness as our Sun. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Omicron 2 Eridani (Keid)<\/strong>
A fascinating trio consisting of a yellow-orange star slightly smaller and dimmer than our Sun, a white dwarf, and a red dwarf. They are about 16 light years away. Star-hop chart<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Gallery<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Partial solar eclipse of August 12, 2026.<\/strong> Greg Barker used an 80-mm Lunt solar scope and an iPhone to capture this image of the eclipse from Milford CT. A large prominence is visible along the upper right edge of the Sun, and long dark filaments are seen on the solar surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From St. Albans Bay VT, slightly more of the Sun was covered by the Moon at maximum eclipse. Jim Mazur took this picture with a Dwarf Mini telescope in between clouds and rain showers that obscured much of the eclipse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Occultation of Jupiter on September 8, 2026.<\/strong> Chris Predom observed this daylight occultation of Jupiter by the thin crescent Moon. He saw the disappearance of Jupiter behind the Moon but not the reappearance, because the Moon was lost in thin clouds. These pictures were taken with an iPhone through an 8-inch f\/4.5 Coulter Dobsonian telescope. The first picture was taken about an hour before the event through a 35-mm Tuthill plossl eyepiece. The next two were taken through a 17-mm Televue plossl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecticut Star Party 36 Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation, Goshen CT September 11-13, 2026 By Donna Pursley Friday was a really nice day. The set-up for CSP for more relaxed for me this year because we had a few very helpful volunteers helping out. There was a nice row of tents on one side of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-24"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4011"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4091,"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4011\/revisions\/4091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.asnh.org\/ShootingStar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}