Photo Caption, From left to right: Dark Sky Advocate Susan Harder, County Legislator Jay Schneiderman, Sean Tvelia, astronomer, Suffolk County Community College, David Cohn, Tupper Planetarium

The Montauk Observatory will be operated by astronomers to benefit all county residents and visitors, many of whom are “back yard” astronomers, including members of the Long Island-based Amateur Observers Society. Through the use of astrophotography, images will be available to all those linked to the group’s website and the telescope can be operated remotely. A plasma screen television and viewing area is included in the plan so that groups may view the images gathered through telescope, which at the same time will be broadcast via the Internet.

As well as being used by amateur and professional astronomers, the greater community will benefit from The Montauk Observatory-artists, eco-tourists, naturalists, environmentalists, and star gazers of all ages, as well local businesses, especially during the cool months when the skies are dry and clear. Along with the free public sessions, the observatory will serve astronomy programs at SUNY and Suffolk County Community College, with easy access for university programs in the tri-state region. Coordinated programs will be scheduled with the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium being renovated this year, as well as the Custer Institute, which operates a private observatory in Southold.

The East End of Long Island has the darkest night skies on the Northeast corridor. Montauk is surrounded by the sea and endowed with vast open space preserves made possible through land purchases at the county, state, and federal levels. And due to East Hampton Town’s “dark sky” initiative, Montauk will be guaranteed a future night sky free of light pollution from artificial light that affects most of Long Island. On the East End, the dazzling Milky Way is clearly visible, something not seen by over two-thirds of the US population.

Last year Legislator Schneiderman sponsored a bill that established Theodore Roosevelt Park as a “Dark Sky Park,” the first in New York State. The bill, signed into law by County Executive Steve Levy, requiring all county lighting there be “dark sky friendly.” The legislation will help “maintain the type of beautiful dark open skies that we enjoy on the East End,” Levy said.

The Montauk Observatory Project’s executive board is comprised of East End residents who have financially supported the project to date, and will help raise funds and oversee the initial operations, and includes Sean Tvelia of Suffolk County Community College, Terry Bienstock of Montauk, David Larkin, John Imperatore, and Susan Harder of East Hampton. The Montauk Observatory, Inc. is seeking tax-deductible donations from private individuals and organizations in order to construct and operate the observatory.

The group’s board of advisors includes educators, environmentalists, scientists, writers, architects, artists, historians, preservationists, and public officials, including best-selling author Dava Sobel, along with Long Island astronomers, including Dr. Deane Peterson, David Cohn, Dr. Mike Ingles and Sean Tvelia, and Joe Malave, an astronomer and Montauk public school science teacher. New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele, a founding member of the Montauk Observatory Board of Advisors, recently awarded $1,000 in state funds to the project "to assist the observatory with your continued efforts toward serving our local community." He acknowledged the group "for its commitment to the community and for your efforts to provide for future generations of area residents. It is through the selfless efforts of groups such as yours that we can, and do, make a difference in the lives of those we serve."