Welcome to the Custer Institute & Observatory
Long Island's oldest public observatory (est. 1927)
Suggested donation of $5 adults and $3 children.
All observing is done out in the open air, under the stars. Dress appropriately.
For the Curious
The Custer Institute and Observatory is Long Island's oldest public observatory (est.1927). Open to the public every Saturday evening from dusk until midnight, our staff of volunteers will give you a tour of the facilities and the night sky through our powerful telescopes. Custer has a library, museum, and gift shop. Frequent lectures, classes,concerts, art exhibits and other special events.
Custer Links
- Visit & Contact
- Membership Information
- Member Nights
- Our Equipment
- Custer History
- Radio Astronomy
- Music Project
- Eclipses and Transits
- Meteor Showers
- Custer Maker Space
- News & Resources
Updated: 02/14/Two Thousand Eighteen
Saturday Night Observing: Open 7pm-Midnight
Check our weather and the moon phase
Weather permitting, Saturday Night Observing is from 7pm to midnight where volunteer Staff provide guided tours of the sky.
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Beware the weather! If there is or has been a snowstorm or icy roads near the date of the event, the program will likely be cancelled and rescheduled. As a volunteer organization, we can really only guarantee to answer the phone Saturday nights. Check back here and our facebook page for the latest information. |
| February 2019 | |
| Saturday, March 9 7pm |
Understanding Eyepieces, Enhancing the View. You have your telescope and you have been having fun finding and observing the wonders of the sky. But you would like to expand your tools. The next thing you will want to add are eyepieces and perhaps a barlow lens. The ones that came with your scope are only a starting place. Ed will discuss how eyepieces work, what the specifications mean and how you would choose the right ones for your telescope to achieve your goals within your budget. Ed will bring examples. After the presentation, if conditions are favorable, Custer will have telescopes to provide wonderful views of the sky. Ed will open the ASLI dome, behind Custer, which houses a 14” Meade LX200 computerized telescope for those who would like to take a look at the sky through this scope and see how a change in eyepiece might enhance your enjoyment of the things you are observing. Stargazing (weather permitting) will follow. Suggested Donation: $5 Adults, $3 Children Under 12  |
Visit Custer!
Get a feel for the place and part of our must-see-in-person collection!
NASA TV Public-Education
NASA TV airs a variety of regularly scheduled, pre-recorded educational and public relations programming 24 hours a day on its various channels. The network also provides an array of live programming, such as 24-hour coverage of International Space Station events (spacewalks, media interviews, educational broadcasts), and rocket launches.