Winter Wonders of the Night Sky

Learn how to explore and navigate the winter night sky including the constellations visible this season and stories behind them, then warm up inside with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy the sounds of music!

Randall DiGiuseppe, Custer lifetime member and presenter, will be your guide to the awe-inspiring objects that grace our winter night sky such as the Pleiades, Orion's stars and nebulae, and other winter constellations. The guided lecture portion of this event will be outdoors when the stars are out, so please dress accordingly. Telescopes for viewing the objects covered during the event will be in the main observatory dome and in the open field. Bundle up, look up and take in what our winter night sky has to offer.

Coffee, tea and hot cocoa will be available after the outdoor presentation in our Observatory Hall, where you can relax and enjoy music from the renaissance to the great American songbook performed by classical guitarist, Robert Secrist.

Observatory staff will also be providing guided tours of the night sky (weather permitting) through the many telescopes on site, including the apochromatic Zerochromat telescope in our historic observation dome during and after the presentation.

This event is open to everyone. Just bring an inquisitive mind, a blanket or chair and your imagination.

Randall DiGiuseppe is a professional artist, lecturer, telescope builder and amateur astronomer for over four decades. He is a lifetime member of the Custer Institute and Observatory and recipient of the Astronomical League’s Messier Award. He conducts lectures on the dynamics, history and art of the night sky throughout the country.

Robert Secrist, award winning classical guitarist, has impressed audiences and critics alike with his captivating lyric and dynamic musicianship since he made his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall at the age of 21. New York Times journalist, Raymond Ericson, has hailed Secrist as a performer with, “a natural grace that never loses sight of a rhythmic base … extraordinarily poetic.”

$10 Adult, $5 Observatory Members, Children Under 16 FREE. Your donations make it possible to offer programs like these and are greatly appreciated. Due to limited space, registration is strongly encouraged. This is a weather permitting event - a rain date will be considered if needed.

Please bring a blanket or chair to enjoy the outdoor portion of the presentation.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Custer Observatory, 1115 Main Bayview Rd., Southold, United States