North Jersey Astronomical Group

03/09/2026

Jersey Skies: Did poor weather foil your view of the eclipse last week? Here's more opportunities for viewing.

If you didn’t get to see the lunar eclipse on Tuesday morning due to the poor weather, we do have some additional opportunities to view eclipses this year Our next similar celestial event comes in August. This will be a major solar eclipse on the other side of the Atlantic. During the eclipse, the...

03/08/2026

Leo 1, dwarf spheroidal Galaxy
Finding its location is easy enough, actually seeing it is a different story.

8" SCT & 25" f/5 Refl., 68x & 40x: "A very faint oval glow in the vicinity of the bright star Regulus. It seemed no easier in the 25" than in the 8-inch." Ted Forte, MO 54
31" f/7 Refl., 324x: "Very diffuse, very faint, very large, uniform brightness, patchy diffuse area detected." Bruce Scodova, MO 241

25" f/5 Refl. 183x: "Extremely faint and barely perceptible. Found by noting a very slight concentration of light where the center of the galaxy should be based on stars to the north and SE per Project Pluto star charts." David Wickholm, MO 242

Feb 21, 2026, 15" f/5 Refl., 60x, "Very large, very faint, very diffuse, oval-shaped, framed by several groupings of very faint to fairly bright field stars." Wyatt Sanford, MO 58

14" SCT, 150x: "Fairly large but dim ovalish glow spread evenly with no defined core." Stephen Saber, MO 35

10" Refl., 87x: "Very hard at 87x. Needed rocking of the telescope and averted vision just to see the core." Al Lamperti, MO 06

10" f/8 Refl., 115x "A faint, oval glow. Much easier than the Sculptor Dwarf." Kevin McKeown, MO 165

24" f/4.5 Refl., 228x: "Very large, round, and diffuse glow. Very slight brighter core." Matt Orsie, MO 05

Everyone agrees:
Keep Regulus out of the field!

03/07/2026

More light is not always better light.

The article notes that excessive brightness can create glare, deep shadows, and reduced night vision, making streets less safe rather than more secure.

Smart lighting design improves safety while protecting the night sky.

Read more:
https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/01/11/why-dialing-down-light-pollution-is-beneficial-for-the-planet/

03/07/2026

Bright lights create shadows and force neighbors to close curtains. If we are all sequestered in our homes, who is monitoring the neighborhood? Considering using warm colored , SHIELDED and downward-facingmotion activated lights and video surveillance if you are concerned about crime.

More light is not always better light.

The article notes that excessive brightness can create glare, deep shadows, and reduced night vision, making streets less safe rather than more secure.

Smart lighting design improves safety while protecting the night sky.

Read more:
https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/01/11/why-dialing-down-light-pollution-is-beneficial-for-the-planet/

03/06/2026

Our speaker for the March meeting of NJAG will be Dr. Dale Gary, Distinguished Professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology. He will give a presentation about the Owens Valley Radio Observatory, Instruments and Solar Science.

Join us Tuesday, March 10 @ 8:30 p.m. This presentation is free, and open to the public. This presentation will be on Zoom. To register see:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WPNn3ywyTwmr1WshuPv7rw

Please note this meeting will be on Zoom only. No in-person meeting will be held due to Spring Break at Montclair State.

03/03/2026

NJAG’s February speaker:

Our speaker for the February 2026 Meeting of NJAG was Jim Bosek from the Vermont Astronomical Society. He gave a presentation about Lunar Exploration during ...

03/03/2026

More light does not always mean more safety.

Excessively bright bulbs often reduce visibility by creating glare and shadows.

Lower-wattage bulbs aimed properly can improve visibility while saving money and protecting the night sky.

03/03/2026

What's going on with Venus in the March evening sky ...

Whenever Venus appears shortly after sunset during or near the Vernal Equinox, it shines low in the west-southwest. It does this every eight years. As it did in 2010 and 2018, it will again lie in nearly the same location in the western sky in 2034 and 2042.

During March, the ecliptic in the early evening rises relatively steeply in the west. This means that Venus climbs a little higher each evening as it moves farther from the sun in its orbit. That is what Venus is doing over the next eight weeks.

Greatest eastern elongation occurs 30 weeks after superior conjunction (which fell on January 6, 2026). This is when Venus attains its greatest angle from the Sun. In a telescope, the planet then appears to be half illuminated.

03/02/2026

Jersey Skies: March begins with a lunar eclipse

The third month of the year begins with a lunar eclipse. Here on the east coast we will at least get to see part of the eclipse, beginning at 4:50 a.m. March 3.

03/02/2026

This month’s episode showcases the stars and planets visible on March evenings. First up: March 3rd’s predawn a total lunar eclipse! Then track down three planets after sunset, and savor the easy-to-spot Winter Triangle of bright stars.
Read more: https://buff.ly/Hr7wXdH