MONTAUK OBSERVATORY
Montauk, NY(unbuilt)
The Montauk Observatory is a non-profit (501.3c) organization that has been established with private funding to construct, maintain, and operate a research-grade astronomical observatory on the East End of Long Island.
The mission of this facility is to foster public interest in science by providing a fully operational remote access observatory that will allow professional and amateur astronomers across Long Island to access the dark skies of Montauk for both research and educational needs.
Once constructed, this facility will service the community by providing educational events in the form of public lectures by featured scientists and authors as well as by holding regularly scheduled public observing nights during which members of the community will have access to the primary telescope as well as open-air telescopes.
The east end of Long Island has some of the darkest night skies on the Northeast corridor. Surrounded by the sea, endowed with vast open space preserves, and now protected by the East Hampton Town's "Dark Sky Initiative", this area provides an excellent setting for astronomical research on Long Island. The Montauk Observatory will allow students and community members across Long Island and New York State the ability to access the dark skies through state of the art internet technology.
At present the Montauk Observatory is planned to be housed at Montauk's Historic Third House site. Third House, recently designated the first "Dark Sky" park in Suffolk County is consistently utilized by amatuer and professional astronomers as an optimum area for educational astronomical lectures. This site recently opened an environmental center in Montauk to study wetlands, erosion, and the natural environment. The observatory will add the universe to the educational programs offered at Third House.
PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE: Robert Young, AIA; PROJECT ARCHITECT: Jason Shannon.
The mission of this facility is to foster public interest in science by providing a fully operational remote access observatory that will allow professional and amateur astronomers across Long Island to access the dark skies of Montauk for both research and educational needs.
Once constructed, this facility will service the community by providing educational events in the form of public lectures by featured scientists and authors as well as by holding regularly scheduled public observing nights during which members of the community will have access to the primary telescope as well as open-air telescopes.
The east end of Long Island has some of the darkest night skies on the Northeast corridor. Surrounded by the sea, endowed with vast open space preserves, and now protected by the East Hampton Town's "Dark Sky Initiative", this area provides an excellent setting for astronomical research on Long Island. The Montauk Observatory will allow students and community members across Long Island and New York State the ability to access the dark skies through state of the art internet technology.
At present the Montauk Observatory is planned to be housed at Montauk's Historic Third House site. Third House, recently designated the first "Dark Sky" park in Suffolk County is consistently utilized by amatuer and professional astronomers as an optimum area for educational astronomical lectures. This site recently opened an environmental center in Montauk to study wetlands, erosion, and the natural environment. The observatory will add the universe to the educational programs offered at Third House.
PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE: Robert Young, AIA; PROJECT ARCHITECT: Jason Shannon.