Welcome to the Custer Institute & Observatory
Long Island's oldest public observatory (est. 1927)
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
Saturday Night Observing: Open 7pm-Midnight
Table of meteor showers
| Name | Dates | Peak dates | Speed (km/s) | Hourly Rate | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | 1 Jan-5 Jan | 3 January | 41 | 120 | Strong |
| Gamma Velids | 1 Jan-15 Jan | 5 January | 35 | 2 | Weak |
| Alpha Crucids | 6 Jan-28 Jan | 15 January | 50 | 3 | Weak |
| Delta Cancrids | 1 Jan-31 Jan | 17 January | 28 | 4 | Medium |
| Alpha Hydrids | 5 Jan-14 Feb | 19 January | 44 | 2 | Weak |
| Eta Carinids | 14 Jan-27 Jan | 21 January | 2 | Weak | |
| Alpha Carinids | 24 Jan-9 Feb | 30 January | 25 | 2 | Weak |
| Delta Velids | 22 Jan-21 Feb | 5 February | 35 | 1 | Weak |
| Alpha Centaurids | 28 Jan-21 Feb | 7 February | 56 | 6 | Medium |
| Omicron Centaurids | 31 Jan-19 Feb | 11 February | 51 | 2 | Weak |
| Theta Centaurids | 23 Jan-12 March | 21 February | 60 | 4 | Weak |
| February Leonids | 1 Feb-28 Feb | several | 30 | 5 | Medium |
| Delta Leonids | 15 Feb-10 March | 24 February | 23 | 2 | Medium |
| Gamma Normids | 25 Feb-22 March | 13 March | 56 | 8 | Medium |
| Virginids | 1 March-15 April | several | 30 | 5 | Medium |
| Delta Pavonids | 11 March-16 April | 30 March | 31 | 5 | Weak |
| Librids | 15 April-30 April | several | 30 | 5 | Medium |
| Lyrids | 15 April-28 April | 22 April | 49 | 15 | Strong |
| Pi Puppids | 15 April-28 April | 23 April | 18 | variable | Irregular |
| Alpha Bootids | 14 April-12 May | 28 April | 20 | 2 | Weak |
| Mu Virginids | 1 April-12 May | 29 April | 30 | 2 | Weak |
| Omega Capricornids | 19 April-15 May | 2 May | 50 | 2 | Weak |
| Eta Aquarids | 19 April-28 May | 6 May | 66 | 60 | Strong |
| Alpha Scorpiids | 1 May-31 May | 16 May | 35 | 5 | Medium |
| Beta Corona Austrinids | 23 April-30 May | 16 May | 45 | 3 | Weak |
| Omega Scorpiids | 23 May-15 June | 2 June | 21 | 5 | Weak |
| Arietids | 22 May-2 July | 7 June | 38 | 54 | Strong |
| Sagittarids | 1 June-15 July | 19 June | 30 | 5 | Medium |
| Tau Cetids | 18 June-4 July | 27 June | 66 | 4 | Weak |
| June Bootids | 28 June-28 June | 28 June | 14 | variable | Irregular |
| Tau Aquarids | 19 June-5 July | 28 June | 63 | 7 | Weak |
| Theta Ophiuchids | 4 June-15 July | 29 June | 29 | 2 | Weak |
| July Pegasids | 7 July-13 July | 10 July | 70 | 3 | Medium |
| July Phoenicids | 10 July-16 July | 13 July | 47 | variable | Irregular |
| Alpha Cygnids | 11 July-30 July | 18 July | 37 | 2 | Weak |
| Sigma Capricornids | 15 July-11 Aug | 20 July | 30 | 5 | Weak |
| Piscis Austrinids | 15 July-10 Aug | 28 July | 35 | 5 | Medium |
| South Delta Aquarids | 12 July-19 Aug | 28 July | 41 | 20 | Strong |
| Alpha Capricornids | 3 July-15 Aug | 30 July | 23 | 4 | Medium |
| South Iota Aquarids | 25 July-15 Aug | 4 August | 34 | 2 | Medium |
| North Delta Aquarids | 15 July-25 Aug | 8 August | 42 | 4 | Medium |
| Perseids | 17 July-24 Aug | 12 August | 59 | 90 | Strong |
| Kappa Cygnids | 3 Aug-25 Aug | 17 August | 25 | 3 | Medium |
| North Iota Aquarids | 11 Aug-31 Aug | 20 August | 31 | 3 | Medium |
| Pi Eridanids | 20 Aug-5 Sept | 25 August | 59 | 4 | Weak |
| Gamma Doradids | 19 Aug-6 Sept | 28 August | 41 | 5 | Weak |
| Alpha Aurigids | 25 Aug-8 Sept | 1 September | 66 | 7 | Medium |
| September Perseids | 5 Sept-10 Oct | 8 September | 64 | 6 | Medium |
| Aries-triangulids | 9 Sept-16 Sept | 12 September | 35 | 3 | Weak |
| Piscids | 1 Sept-30 Sept | 20 September | 26 | 3 | Medium |
| Kappa Aquarids | 8 Sept-30 Sept | 20 September | 16 | 3 | Weak |
| October Arietids | 1 Oct-31 Oct | 8 October | 28 | 5 | Medium |
| Giacobinids | 6 Oct-10 Oct | 8 October | 20 | variable | Irregular |
| Delta Aurigids | 22 Sept-23 Oct | 10 October | 64 | 6 | Medium |
| Epsilon Geminids | 14 Oct-27 Oct | 18 October | 71 | 2 | Medium |
| Orionids | 2 Oct-7 Nov | 21 October | 66 | 20 | Strong |
| Leo Minorids | 21 Oct-23 Oct | 22 October | 62 | 2 | Weak |
| Southern Taurids | 1 Nov-25 Nov | 5 November | 27 | 5 | Medium |
| Delta Eridanids | 6 Nov-29 Nov | 10 November | 31 | 2 | Weak |
| Northern Taurids | 1 Nov-25 Nov | 12 November | 29 | 5 | Medium |
| Zeta Puppids | 2 Nov-20 Dec | 13 November | 41 | 3 | Weak |
| Leonids | 14 Nov-21 Nov | 17 November | 71 | variable | Irregular |
| Alpha Monocerotids | 15 Nov-25 Nov | 21 November | 60 | variable | Irregular |
| Chi Orionids | 25 Nov-31 Dec | 2 December | 28 | 3 | Medium |
| Phoenicids | 28 Nov-9 Dec | 6 December | 18 | variable | Irregular |
| Monocerotids | 27 Nov-17 Dec | 9 December | 43 | 3 | Medium |
| Sigma Hydrids | 3 Dec-15 Dec | 12 December | 58 | 2 | Medium |
| Puppid-velids | 2 Dec-16 Dec | 12 December | 40 | 4 | Medium |
| Geminids | 7 Dec-17 Dec | 14 December | 35 | 120 | Strong |
| Coma Berenicids | 12 Dec-23 Jan | 20 December | 65 | 5 | Medium |
| Ursids | 17 Dec-26 Dec | 22 December | 33 | 10 | Strong |