Description of Top of the Lawn

John P. of NYSkies offered to host a description of our group since we provide astronomy observing to the public. The following is a slightly modified version found at NYSkies. Ben, Charlie, John, Kin, & Tom reviewed and contributed to the description.



Top of the Lawn, more commonly called "TotL" (pronounced "total"), is a loose association of urban astronomy enthusiasts who gather on the northern perimeter path of Central Park's Great Lawn. The core group of sidewalk astronomers equipped with binoculars, telescopes, and a passion for sharing our skies. We are in the Park all year round to observe each season's sky, typically on clear weekend nights.

In addition to the TotL team, there are regular visitors that include dog walkers, cyclists, and pedestrians. These folks come by with such regularity that they learned the fundamental motions of the night sky and how to identify various targets in the sky. However, all visitors are welcome to stop by for peeks and chat.

Defying popular belief, there are many celestial delights to see with the eye and small optics. Many objects are challenged by high background sky brightness. Others, like the Milky Way, can be veiled from sight. Despite this impediment, TotL members help you find the brighter objects in the sky, by eye and optics, and provide some details about them.

In general, solar system bodies are easy to follow from the city, they include the Moon, planets, major comets, and larger asteroids. Man-made objects can be easy to observe, like International Space Station, Space Shuttle, Iridium flares, and large space capsules from other countries.

We can see many bright open clusters, double stars, planetary stars, some nebulae, and globular clusters. Their number and place in the sky vary with the season. Our city sky challenges most galaxies beyond the Milky Way, yet the great Andromeda Galaxy can be observed in optics as small as binoculars.

TotL members gather for the informal purpose of sharing our fascination for the night sky. Passersby are captivated by the vastness of space and distances to other worlds. They look into the eyepiece with awe and wonder. For our group, these reactions and expressed interest are reward enough to share with the public.

A visit to TotL, we can help with the following:

- getting started
- learn how to get your bearings in the sky
- how to use a planisphere
- identify constellations and asterisms
- how to find various deep sky objects
- what to consider when buying equipment
- how to use your binoculars or telescope
- tricks and tips with daytime observing

Just show up – with or without optics. Travel instructions and the map below detail our location in Central Park. We just ask that you respect our equipment and be considerate of others. No expert knowledge is required; an interest and positive attitude are helpful.

Look for us at the northern perimeter sidewalk of the Great Lawn, Central Park. That is approximately at 85th St. in the middle of the park. One can enter the park on the westside from Hunter's Gate at Central Park West (CPW) & 81st St. or Mariner's Gate at CPW & 85th St. at the north side of each entrance, follow the sidewalk straight into the park, crossing the road, West Drive, towards the Great Lawn.

The M10 bus stops nearby at 84th and CPW and the B & C subway stops at 86th and CPW.

If one enters the park from the east, use the entrances north or south (Miner's Gate) of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and walk westward along the path. From the southern entrance one crosses East Drive under the bridge. From the sidewalk north of the “Met”, one follows the sidewalk into the park and crosses East Drive when traffic and the light permit. The sidewalk continues, leading into the Great Lawn.

M1, M2, and other buses run south and stops around 84th & 5th Ave while the 4, 5, or 6 subway stops at 86th & Lexington.

Once you arrive, walk north on the perimeter sidewalk around the Great Lawn. We'll be at the top, or maybe a little further east.

This map indicates meeting places relative to the Great Lawn, Central Park. The red circle indicates our primary meeting place. There are some events where the horizon is more favorable when observed from the blue circles, for example lunar eclipses from Turtle Pond Observatory.



A Google map

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Astronomy in NYC

The beginning of agrowing list that outlines astronomy resources in and around the city.


Clubs
Amateur Astronomers Association (AAA)
www.aaa.org
NYC’s oldest astronomy organization with a diverse program of special interests.

NYSkies Astronomy Inc.
www.nyskies.org
The premiere support group for home astronomy in New York.

Public Outreach
AAA - Observing
http://www.aaa.org/index.aspx?lobid=936
The AAA described above conducts regularly scheduled public observing events across the boroughs of NYC. A fine gorup of people sharing optics and knowledge to gain an appreciation for observing the celestial objects in the sky..

Columbia University Observatory
www.astro.columbia.edu/outreach/
Columbuia U’s service to the general public with lectures and open dome nights. Sign up for email alerts.

Top of the Lawn
topofthelawn.blogspot.com
tags_p@yahoo.com
Informal group of dedicated amateur observers from the Great Lawn in Central Park. Most clear weekend nights around the northern perimeter.

Astronomical Observations
http://starsights.blogspot.com/
A NYC amateur observer that takes to the street often - day & night - and records his observations with a analytical eye.

Museums
Hayden Planetarium
http://haydenplanetarium.org/
A beloved institution that operates within the new Rose Center for Earth and Space of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Regularly scheduled programs and special events. In general, AMNH regular exhibits spans many science disciplines.

Retailers
Adorama
http://www.adorama.com/
A retailer that has earned my trust, confidence, and loyalty. The Astronomy dept on the fifth floor is operated by Mike Peoples, an amateur astronomer friendly to amateur astronomers and enthusiasts. Seasoned or new - a first stop before any other.

B&H Photo
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
A large retailer that many use for astronomy and photography supplies. If you know what you want you'll find great value. If you prefer one-n-one and some attention, look to Adorama.

Globe At Night - 2008

Globe At Night - 2008
(magnitude charts )
Naked eye observations to assess sky brightness around the globe is underway today.

Globe at Night is the organization that coordinates the event, prepares instructions, provides training, magnitude charts, and circulars announcing the event. The comparative star charts enable you to assess easily your sky's transparency by comparing your observation of Orion with that of the charts.

In 2007, GAN had collected 8,491 observations. Support the 2008 effort by participating from NYC, one of the brighter places on the globe. Download & print the magnitude charts and look up and choose the star map that resembles your view and then submit a report to GAN. It's that easy.

Since I was out last night (Session 20080224.1900), I turned my attention to Orion. He stood a little west of manhattan-south - about 280* azimuth - which placed him roughly above Times Square from point of view. Thin stratus clouds advanced from the west and gathered beneath him. Given the conditions I was able to see all the stars that are shown on the Magnitude 4 chart and even more. My sky was not as rich as the one depicted in a Magnitude 5 chart . My guess is magnitude 4.6 ~ 4.8, considering my visual acuity.

If it is a clear weekend night stop by the top of the Great Lawn for naked eye and telescope viewing of the Heavens. In addition to Orion, observe some of the celestial treats in other easily constellations like Mars in Taurus, galactic clusters in Canis Major, beautiful and colorful multiple star Monoceros, among many, many more visible from the heart of New York City.

2nd Annual ISAN & Yuri's Night

ISAN logo

12 April 2008 is the 2nd Annual International Sidewalk Astronomy Night (ISAN), same day as Yuri's Night. Two celebrations, one for astronomy, another for manned space program.

19 May 2007 was last year's date but we were rained out here. The following day it cleared enough where a few groups set up around the city to hold the first annual International Sidewalk Astronomy Night from Central Park.

I haven't decided where I'll be this year. I'll coordinate with others,especially folks from AAA of NYC I may return to the south side of the Great Lawn but am considering a higher traffic area with good exposure from south to west. Moon, Mars, and Saturn will no doubt be the highlights. I'll post updates in the future.


Snipped from Yuri's Night '08
12 April 1961 marks mankind's first flight into space with Soviet cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. 20 years later to the date the Space Shuttle was launched on her maiden flight, STS-1.

I attended the party at CUNY Graduate Center where Greg Olsen shared his experience with training and flight with the Russians to the ISS. I really enjoyed his presentation. Other speakers included astronaut Tom Henricks and mathematician Dr. Edward Belbruno. After the event, I picked up an autographed book from Ed Belbruno, Fly Me to the Moon.

Fantastic Lunar Eclipse Event in NYC

Session name: 20080220.2010

This special session away from the lawn at Carl Schurz Park event was a terrific success. Overcast skies allowed the Moon too punch through thinning clouds during the beginning of the event. Over the duration of the eclipse somewhere between 150 ~ 200 people would come by - the skies cleared & cold temps - and share the experience of the full moon transform before our eyes. The moon took on pearly red color, most people exclaimed the same when they noticed it. Bruce Kamiat, Rick Davis and myself manned three large scopes with half a dozen more tripod-mounted binoculars. Team TotL'er Kin, Rich Rosenberg and other AAA'ers provided commentary to many of the questions being asked by the people. Many walked around with bins hanging from their necks. For the lunar ecclipse event, optics are not as important for the type of casual observation were did throughout the night.

My setup consisted of 22x magnification Takahashi bins and the 4" Takahashi refractor. The bins were aimed at the Moon all night, raised and lowered to accommodate all heights and ages. The telescope had Saturn in a field that was magnified at first 90x but conditions improved that a magnification of 120x was steady and clear.

John Pazmino and I prepared different handouts with info on the eclipse and other NYC astronomy resources. John and others responded to the needs of many persons while waiting their turn to look in the eyepiece.

(Lesson learned about preparing material for the public. More about that later)

I must say - probably parroting every other amateur astronomer - that these public outreach events are exciting. People thank us for sharing but they provide the Joy for me: their reception, their expression, their reaction, their agreement. Nature is fascinating and the public is open, receptive, to wonder and awe. While 20 million (?) people sat and watched stars of American Idol, I wonder how many of us looked to the real stars for an exquisite show.

Urban Starfest 2007

Session name: 20071110.1900

The skies were clear for Urban Starfest, an annual astronomy event organized by the Amateur Astronomers Association (AAA) and the Urban Park Rangers. Many of the AAA members showed up with their optics ranging from small to large. Refractors, reflectors, Schmidt-Cassegrain, and binoculars swinging from neck straps were shared with maybe 100 persons that passed through.

Jan Kratochvil shares photographs of the Urban Starfest 2007.

Comet Holmes was a popular object as a naked eye object and through various optics. Personally, I liked the 7x50 view which showed the comet right beside the Alpha Persei Association. I showed one person where to look and point the bins. After locating it they would pass the bins to someone else and tell them where and what to look for. Cries of "Eureka" marked off repeated successes. This would continue for half a dozen or more people at a time and at different times over the course of the session. (And I didn't lost my bins.)