Tag: December 2018

The Four Galilean Moons of Jupiter

While watching the four Galilean moons of Jupiter buzzing around the planet recently, I was reminded of the historical role they have played in the advancement of science over the last 400 years. Starting with their discovery by Galileo in 1610, their existence helped prove that the sun was the center of the solar system not the earth.

The Night the HighLine Panicked

“Ladies and gentlemen, here is the latest bulletin from the Intercontinental Radio News. It is reported that at 8:50 P. M. a huge, flaming object, believed to be a meteorite, fell on a farm in the neighborhood of Grovers Mill, New Jersey, twenty-two miles from Trenton.” News flashes, like this one were being broadcast over the speaker provided by HighLine’s Tim Morales. “Both the observations of science and the evidence of our eyes lead to the inescapable assumption that those strange beings who landed in the Jersey farmlands tonight,” the announcements continued, “are a vanguard of an invading army from Mars!”

Chuck Wilson: He definitely belonged amongst the stars

In the last few days we have found out that our dear friend and colleague Chuck Wilson has passed away. Chuck was an active member of the AAA Astrophotography group, saxophone player by profession and great lover of Indian food. Chuck signed up for the very first and subsequent night sky photography classes and often met up with our various photo expeditions in Central Park, Jenny Jump or North South Lake.

International Dark-Sky Association Annual General Meeting

For an amateur astronomer and seeker of dark skies, the International Dark-Sky Association Annual General Meeting was an exercise in contrasts. On one hand light pollution is increasing rapidly and humanity is not too slowly loosing our view of the stars. On the other hand, legions of scientists, professional and amateur astronomers, community activists, park rangers, artists and others are working feverishly, with many success stories, to mitigate artificial lighting.