Custer Institute

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Custer Institute

For the curious, The Custer Institute is Long Island's oldest public observatory welcoming visitors on Saturday nights. http://www.custerobservatory.org/

Visit our web site and check for sky conditions.

06/01/2026

🛠️ Telescope Inventory Mission: Accomplished!

On Saturday, John, Farhan, Bill, and Dana took on the heroic task of cleaning, organizing, and conducting an electronic inventory of Custer Observatory’s telescope collection. This venture covered 21 telescopes of every shape, size, and configuration.

Our volunteers carefully cataloged each one while bravely battling spider webs and breathing in what can only be described as “vintage observatory dust” 🕸️

A huge thank you to this dedicated team for tackling the project with determination, teamwork, and only minimal complaints about the resident wildlife! 👏 🕷️

05/25/2026

Join us for an evening of music, light, color & stargazing beneath the sky with Kinetic Continuum this Saturday, May 30th

We’re kicking off the Rites of Spring Music Festival with an immersive multimedia performance featuring light painting artist Alina Wilczynski and pianist Paolo Bartolani—where sound, movement and light come together in a way you’ve never experienced before.

After the live performance, guests can enjoy a guided stargazing & telescope viewing as well (weather permitting)

Limited seating available—reserve now via our website!
$45 Adults | $30 Members & Friends of RoS | Kids under 16 FREE

This presentation will be held indoors and seating will be provided. We hope to see you there! ✨

05/16/2026

Under a sky full of stars, surrounded by wonderful company ✨🔭

A huge thank you to Silver Sands and their incredible staff for being such gracious hosts during last night’s stargazing event. From the warm hospitality to the delicious snacks and beverages that kept our stargazers cozy all evening, every detail made the night feel extra special.

There’s nothing quite like sharing the universe with a community gathered beneath the stars. Until next time 🌌

04/14/2026

🌌✨ Celebrate International Dark Sky Week 2026 with us at Custer Observatory!

International Dark Sky Week (April 13–20, 2026) is a global celebration of the night. Dark nights sustain critical wildlife ecosystems, strengthen the well-being of our communities, enable scientific discovery, and preserve shared cultural knowledge and traditions.

To celebrate, come step away from the city lights this Saturday, April 18th, and experience one of Long Island’s darkest skies. Join us for an evening of casual stargazing, telescope viewing, and learning how simple choices in outdoor lighting can help protect our night skies for future generations.

🔭 Weather permitting, our historic dome and telescopes will be open with staff on hand to guide your journey through the cosmos

You can register for this event via the events page on our website! 🌠

04/13/2026

An incredible day at NEAF 2026✨

Custer Observatory board members and staff spent the day at the Northeast Astronomy Forum & Space Expo exploring the latest in telescope technology, celestial tracking systems, innovative educational programs, and all the exciting ideas shaping the future of astronomy.

From hands-on exhibits to meaningful meetings and fresh ideas, it was an inspiring day of learning, collaboration, and looking ahead to the future of astronomy. Thank you rac_neaf!

04/04/2026

Meet the Elephant Trunk Nebula 🐘✨

The Elephant Trunk Nebula inside IC 1396 is actually a stellar nursery. Deep inside that dense column of gas and dust, new stars are actively forming, hidden from view by all that material. Over time, radiation from nearby massive stars will slowly erode the “trunk,” eventually exposing those newborn stars to the galaxy.

This image was taken using a hydrogen-alpha filter, which only captures the specific red light given off by glowing hydrogen gas. By focusing on that light alone, it brings out the structure and detail of the nebula in a simple black-and-white view.

A reminder that even the darkest, densest regions of space are actively building new stars

Photo by Bill Bradley 📸

04/01/2026

Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) ☄️

This recently discovered comet is currently making its way through the inner solar system, with perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on April 19, 2026, and its closest approach to Earth around April 26–27, 2026.

As it approaches the Sun, solar radiation heats the nucleus, releasing gas and dust to form a visible coma and tail. If activity continues to increase, C/2025 R3 may become visible to the naked eye!

Best viewing is expected in the early evening sky in late April into early May. Keep an eye on it as it evolves in brightness and structure over the coming weeks 🌠

Photo by Steve Bellavia 📸

03/27/2026

Messier 82 (M82), a starburst galaxy located in the Ursa Major, captured here in RGB 💫

Approximately 12 million light-years away, M82 is undergoing an intense period of star formation, likely triggered by gravitational interaction with nearby Messier 81. This activity drives powerful galactic winds, pushing gas and dust out from the galaxy’s core and giving it its distinctive elongated, “cigar-like” appearance

RGB imaging highlights the structure of the galaxy and the contrast between its bright central starburst region and the surrounding dust lanes, offering a natural-color view of one of the most active galaxies in our local universe

Photo by Bill Bradley 📸

03/25/2026

The Leo Triplet, located about 35 million light-years away in the Leo constellation 🌌

This small galaxy group consists of three spiral galaxies: Messier 65, Messier 66, and NGC 3628. These galaxies are gravitationally associated, and past interactions have influenced their structures, especially the distorted shape of NGC 3628 and the asymmetry seen in M66.

Swipe through to see the full field, followed by progressively closer views of the group and each individual galaxy!

Photos by Steve Bellavia 📸

03/16/2026

Join Custer Observatory for our first-ever Messier Marathon ✨🔭

This is the ultimate deep-sky challenge. We’ll attempt to locate all 110 objects in the Messier Catalogue in a single night from sunset to sunrise. From galaxies to nebulae, we’ll spend the night chasing the wonders of the universe just like astronomers did over 200 years ago.

🔭 Bring your own telescope
🔦 Red flashlight/headlamp required
🧣 Dress warm for a cold March night

The observatory will be open all night for warming breaks and conversation.

⭐ $10 General Admission
⭐ Members FREE
⭐ Registration encouraged, link on our website (limited space)

This event is weather dependent, and a final decision announced the morning of the event.

Are you ready to take on the marathon?

Address

1115 Main Bayview Road
Southold, NY
11971

Opening Hours

7pm - 12am

Telephone

+16317652626

Website

http://www.custerobservatory.org/

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