Good Heavens! Astronomy Night at NJSOC

Stokes State Forest and the NJSOC are home to some of New Jersey’s darkest night skies. The low level of light pollution makes it possible to see astronomical features not visible in other parts of the state. Join Rob Teeter, of Pearl Observatory, as we observe the wonders of the universe through his BIG telescope. Here’s your chance to see craters on the moon, star clusters, nebula, learn constellations, take a Star Tour, AND view the annual Perseids Meteor Shower with friends under the Milky Way. Rob, an environmental scientist, is a life-long astronomer having first caught the “star bug” at 9 years old. He is a telescope maker, having sold more than 200 scopes all around the world, and is an instructor with Pearl Observatory.

Registration is required and Eventbrite tickets will be collected at the gate for entrance to this family event. There is no registration fee for children under 5 years old. The gate will open at 7:30 PM and you can enjoy the company of fellow guests around a campfire while you wait for it to get dark (bring your own marshmallows). Please bring chairs or blankets, bug spray, and flashlights (red or green cellophane over your flashilights will help preserve everyones’ night vision.)

In case of rain or heavy cloud cover, the event will be postponed to Saturday, August 14th.

The Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation is a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. When NJSOC closed in July 2020, the Friends launched a campaign to save it. This ultimately led to negotiations with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, owners of NJSOC, to obtain an interim management agreement for the School. This agreement was finalized in April 2021, and the Friends of NJSOC are proud to offer limited programming at NJSOC with the help of dedicated and talented volunteers. We are pleased to register you for one of our programs!