Sunny days and warmer nights

Dear AOS Members,

As the days grow longer and summer edges closer, we find ourselves looking forward to warmer nights under the stars and exciting opportunities for public engagement. June marks the halfway point of our 60th Anniversary year, and I’m incredibly proud of all we’ve accomplished together so far in 2025.

Let’s begin by thanking all the volunteers who helped make our spring events a success—from community outreach at the North Shore Youth Council to our latest public night at the Humes Preserve. Your continued efforts are what bring astronomy to life for so many new faces.

This month, we continue that tradition of outreach and education with several key events. On Friday, June 20, join us for a public stargazing session at the Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center (JBENC) from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM. These summer beach nights are some of our most popular—and most photogenic—so bring your scopes, your passion, and a light jacket!

Our General Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 1st, at Hofstra University, with doors opening at 1:15 PM and our featured speaker starting at 3:00 PM. We are thrilled to announce that our guest speaker will be a representative from the famous Green Bank Observatory, located in the heart of radio astronomy country in West Virginia. In addition, we’ll be taking a moment to recognize and honor our incredible volunteers by presenting awards for the hard work, dedication, and outreach efforts they’ve contributed over the past year.

To kick off even more outreach this month, we’ve been invited to participate in Sciencestock—a science-meets-music festival (think Woodstock with a science twist!)—on Sunday, June 8th from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This exciting new event is part of a new partnership with the Science Museum of Long Island, located in Leeds Pond Park in Manhasset, on the North Shore of Long Island near Port Washington. We’re looking for 4 or 5 volunteers to represent AOS with a table, share who we are, and set up a few telescopes for potential sky-gazing. The Moon will be visible around 8:00 PM, though full darkness won’t set in until well after 9:00 PM. It sounds like a fantastic opportunity to introduce AOS to a new audience—please reach out if you’d like to help! Thank you Tom L for doing the ambassadorship for this event.
June also marks the start of the 2025 MAUS (Music and Astronomy Under the Stars) Program, where AOS sets up six telescopes at the rear of five free public concerts held throughout the summer in various public parks across Long Island. These community events beautifully combine live music with live stargazing, creating unforgettable nights for families and newcomers alike. Your participation makes this one of our most beloved outreach programs—so dust off your scopes and stay tuned for dates!

Astronomically speaking, June offers some beautiful skywatching opportunities:

Summer Solstice arrives on Thursday, June 20, marking the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. Time 10:42 PM
The Moon and Saturn dance close together in the early morning sky on June 27.
The Strawberry Full Moon rises on Wednesday, June 11 @ 3:43 AM, offering photographers a sweet target just before sunrise.
Venus and Jupiter remain elusive, but Mars begins rising earlier, inching its way into more favorable viewing conditions this summer.

Looking ahead, August will bring our Annual AOSNY Picnic, which we plan to hold at a special location on either Saturday, August 9 or Sunday, August 12 — we’ll confirm the date and details very soon. As always, this event coincides with the Perseid Meteor Shower, making it one of the most memorable nights of the year for members and their families.

As always, we welcome your ideas, energy, and feedback. Whether you’ve been with us for years or just joined during the April eclipse craze, there’s a place for you at AOS. Let’s keep growing, learning, and looking up—together.

Clear skies,

Jason Cousins
President, Amateur Observers Society of New York