Light pollution is minimal in certain areas of Upstate New York when compared to more congested cities, making it the perfect place to view cosmic events.
Jenny Cartie, Technology Manager at Vestal’s Kopernik Observatory & Science Center, says they are hoping the Southern Tier will see one last Northern Lights event before the year ends.
“We had some incredible storms last year, but solar storms have quieted down dramatically at this point,” Cartie said in an email.
Kopernik’s Super Planetary Refractor telescope is set up to view the different events involving Saturn over the last months of 2025. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, will cast a shadow on the planet every 16 days, a celestial event that began on Aug. 16 and will continue until Oct. 6. This phenomenon is referred to as a shadow transit. Saturn will be at its brightest and biggest on Sept. 21.
Although there are no certified dark sky parks located in the Southern Tier, one is over the border in Pennsylvania, and there are any number of public parks to lay out and look at the wonders in the sky.
International Dark Sky Places are protected areas and communities around the world certified by DarkSky International. These places meet strict criteria for protection of the night sky and minimization of light pollution, and offer great skygazing opportunities.
Here’s a list of parks and observatories that are open to the public to visit and may be good places to look at the night sky.
Kopernik Observatory & Science Center
The Kopernik Center is open to the public every Friday night until mid-December, hours of operation vary throughout the year. The doors will open around 7:30 p.m. August-November, teaching visitors on several topics in STEM. Depending on the conditions the observatory will be open to view the sky.
Address: 698 Underwood Road, Vestal, NY
Cherry Springs State Park
Cherry Springs State Park is the closest official dark sky park in the region, located near Coudersport, Pennsylvania. It is the second International Gold Level Everywhere Dark Sky Park in the U.S., and the only one on the east coast.
On a night when the sky is clear roughly 30,000 stars can be seen. Just 60-85 days out of the year, those lucky enough can catch a glimpse at the Milky Way, the International Space Station, constellations and other celestial phenomenon.
Address: 4639 Cherry Springs Road, Coudersport, Pa.
Stull Observatory
Located on the Alfred University campus in Allegany County, Stull Observatory boasts six telescopes in domes and an assortment of other equipment, including computer controlled telescopes, digital cameras, and a brand-new fiber fed spectrograph. Public stargazing nights and times change based on the season and the academic calendar. The Observatory will only be open for viewing if the weather is clear.
Address: 475 Marlin Way, Alfred, NY
Fuertes Observatory
The Cornell Astronomical Society has conducted public viewing nights at Cornell University’s Fuertes Observatory for over half a century. The observatory is open every Friday night during the academic year from 8 p.m. until midnight, regardless of clouds. Organizations and informal large groups can also request an educational observing session at Fuertes Observatory conducted by volunteers, according to CAS.
Address: 209 Cradit Farm Drive, Ithaca, NY
Eileen M. Collins Observatory
Named for astronaut, Elmira native and Corning Community College grad Eileen Collins, the CCC observatory features many types and sizes of telescopes. A Kids’ Night is planned for Oct. 3 from 7-9 p.m. while fall hours will be announced soon. Observatory events are free and open to the public. Most of the time is spent outside if the weather is clear, so dress accordingly.
Address: Dike Way, Spencer Hill Campus, Corning, NY
Resources for more celestial event information
Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram@KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at kcgrant@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: 5 observatories, dark sky parks to watch the night sky in the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes
Reporting by Kalyn Grant, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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