Exploring the night sky: astronomy clubs in the Capital Region

ALBANY (NEWS10) - Are you fascinated by the night sky and eager to get more involved in astronomy? There’s a network that connects astronomy clubs across the country, and there are exciting opportunities right here in the Capital Region.

NASA’s Night Sky Network, a coalition of astronomy clubs from all over the United States, is helping local enthusiasts explore the cosmos. I spoke with Mindy Townsend, the Dudley Astronomer at Siena College, about local clubs and events that are part of this network.

“The Night Sky Network is a major way astronomy clubs advertise their star parties, meetings, and lectures,” Townsend said. “Here at Dudley Observatory, we work closely with Quad A, the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers group, to post our Octagon Barn star parties and lectures.”

The Octagon Barn star parties take place monthly in Delanson, about 30 minutes from Albany. These gatherings allow amateur astronomers to hear from leading experts in physics and astronomy before gazing at the night sky.

“There are people who have been retired engineers or those who’ve had a lifelong interest in astronomy but never pursued it professionally. Some even bring their kids,” Townsend shared.

This year has been especially exciting for sky watchers. Last week, many witnessed the Aurora Borealis, with stunning photos lighting up social media. Townsend explained, “During a solar maximum, with more sunspots and powerful coronal mass ejections, we see the northern lights much further south.”

If you’re looking up without a telescope, you can still catch a glimpse of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which makes a rare appearance every 80,000 years.

“You’ll see a brighter head of the comet, called the coma, with some fuzziness around it, and then a tail,” Townsend noted.