Dans Papers - May 25, 2007 - Space, The Final Frontier In Southold

Looking for something fun to do on a Saturday night that is simply "out of this world?" Head down to the Custer Institute in Southold and spend a quiet evening gazing at the stars. Utilizing the high-powered telescope, you can see shooting stars, constellations, planets and all of the wonders of the galaxy.

According to Donna McCormick of Custer, "the Custer Institute is Long Island's oldest public observatory, established in 1927. It is staffed by volunteers and operates exclusively on public support. While the focus is on astronomy, its purpose is to serve the community to as great an extent as possible. In the past few years, it has been fulfilling this purpose more than ever before and the community's response has been overwhelming."

Donna mentioned that thanks to the support of Congressman. Tim Bishop, Town Supervisor Scott Russell and other members of the Southold Town Board, which have supported the Institute, it has now been able to add sophisticated equipment and dynamic educational programs to its repertoire of existing programs. The list of supporters is endless. Sal Saporito and Gene Gluck of the North Fork Chamber of Commerce and Joan van Bischoff from the North Fork Promotional Council, Liz Irwin the Winterfest Coordinator, Pat Snyder of the East End Arts Council, numerous local businesses, Dan's Papers, Newsday, Suffolk Times and LongIsland Pulse.

On Saturday nights Custer opens its doors and its observatory for Astronomical Imaging Classes taught by the knowledgeable Steve Orlando. These lecture/workshops offer you the opportunity to learn from an expert about various aspects of astronomy. Coming up on June 2nd, is the Webcam Imagining Solar System Objects workshop. This runs from 8-9:30 p.m. Students will "learn how to capture images via a webcam." The moon and Saturn are the targets.

On June 23rd, from 8-9:30 p.m., the workshop entitled "DSLR Imaging: Piggy Back Imaging will be held. (Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera) This workshop will teach students about the "methods of imaging the night sky using DSLR. The workshop series continues throughout the months of July and August. Classes are $10 for members and $13 for nonmembers. Teachers may be awarded In-Service Credit with permission and a letter from their district. The classes are open to everyone.

On Saturday, June 9th the Custer Institute will be grilling! The annual barbecue featuring delicious foods prepared by Chefs Chuck Cardona and Kurt Massey will be held at 6 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by Peruvian Musician, Walter Purizaca who will perform music from the Andes. This fun event is open to all. Suggested donation is $15 non-members and $5 children 13 and under. The Custer staff would appreciate an RSVP if you plan on attending, and they hope to see you there.

Other upcoming events include: A musical review in August, Portable Planetarium shows, Friday Night Star Hops for Teens and on-going tours, workshops and programs. The Custer Institute is seeking to design programs that have "star appeal" for all ages. Donna eagerly invited myself, my husband and my 3 year old down to Custer saying, "Custer is truly a remarkable place and, on a clear Saturday night, your son is sure to have that 'wow!' experience when looking through a big telescope for the first time. Who knows? He might be the next Carl Sagan!"

Donna proudly went on to add, "What can I say about Custer? Why is it worthwhile? There are many places one can go to learn. And there are a few other places one can go to catch a glimpse at the night sky through a telescope. However, places that truly nurture the quality and expression of human curiosity are rare; Custer is one of them. After all, that's its motto: "For the curious." Add to that the dark skies, big telescopes, library, museum, art gallery and events and you've got something very unique and very irresistible." For more information about Custer's programs, membership and donation program (they are constantly relying on donations to maintain the building and programs), please call 631-765-2626 and visit their website www.custerobservatory.org. You are sure to have an amazing experience.