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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 09/04/2026

TOMORROW: Cornell Astronomical Society is hosting a lecture by Josh Umansky-Castro, "Laser Sailing to the Stars: the Story of Cornell University's Alpha CubeSat Mission," at 7 PM! The lecture will be livestreamed, free and open to the public. 🚀🔭✨ To register: cglink.me/2ee/r2303642

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 02/03/2026

If clear, Fuertes will open tomorrow morning, 3/2, from 5:30 to 7 AM, to view the total lunar eclipse on the horizon.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 04/02/2026

The Cornell Astronomical Society's lecture series will be resuming later this month! The schedule is posted on cornellastrosociety.org/lecture-series. All lectures are free, open to the public, and are presented both in-person and virtually, preceding some Friday open houses at Fuertes Observatory.

Gillis Lowry lectures to 120 guests in November 2025.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 19/12/2025

CAS is hosting the last open house of the semester tonight (12/19) at Fuertes! Please join us any time from 8 PM to midnight. Open houses will resume in the Spring semester on January 16th, 2026.

Sunset from the deck at the Fuertes Observatory.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 01/11/2025

This Friday, 11/7, CAS will be hosting a special lecture by Gillis Lowry, "The Search for Intelligent Life on Earth"! See details in the flyer attached. 🪐🔭 Lectures are always free and open to the public, both in person and virtually. More information at www.cornellastrosociety.org/lecture-series!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 24/10/2025

TONIGHT, we'll hear from Prof. Abigail Crites in her lecture, "From the First Light of the Cosmos to the Cameras that Capture it Today"! 📷🔭📡 The lecture will be streamed live over Zoom, and will take place in person in Appel Commons at Cornell. More info at cornellastrosociety.org/lecture-series!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 16/10/2025

Today is the Irving Porter Church Memorial Telescope's 103rd birthday! From the telescope's dedication: "[...] it was not shipped until late in September and its erection in the dome was completed on October 16, 1922." Read more at www.cornellastrosociety.org/about/irvhis...!

Prof. Samuel L. Boothroyd looking through the Irving P. Church Memorial Telescope in May of 1923.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 16/10/2025

CAS will be hosting our second of five lectures this semester this Friday, 10/17, with Alexia Kubas: "We Have [Insert Planet Name] At Home: The Amazing World of Analog Studies"! 🏔️🔭❄️ More information can be found at cornellastrosociety.org/lecture-series. Please join us either in person or remotely!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 14/10/2025

Autumn colors are beginning to show around the Fuertes Observatory.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 25/09/2025

CAS's semesterly lecture series starts tomorrow, with Prof. Dongwoo Chung and their talk titled "Seeing the Forest, Not the Trees: Serendipitous Glances into the Universe"! 📡🔭🌌 More information can be found at cornellastrosociety.org/lecture-series. As always, please join us in person or remotely!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 23/08/2025

Fuertes was open for our first open house of the semester last night, from 8 PM to midnight! Crowds were impressive and there was a line out the door. Clear skies and a new moon on a Friday night is a combination that doesn't occur too often at all.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 20/08/2025

Our few-week closure will be coming to an end this Friday evening at 8 PM! Fuertes will be open until midnight for observing on what's (now) forecast to be a clear evening. We look forward to inviting both new and returning students and visitors into the 107-year-old observatory in just a few days.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 18/07/2025

Tonight, July 18th, is the last open house at Fuertes for the next few weeks! CAS has received funding for painting and carpeting in our dome room, and we'll be making use of it over the next month or so. Please stop by tonight, 8 to midnight! Cloud cover looks low and temperatures look moderate.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 11/07/2025

The Fuertes Observatory will be open tonight, on Cornell University's North Campus, from 8 PM until midnight! Cloud cover predictions are looking okay so far, and the moon will be visible later into the evening. More information at www.cornellastrosociety.org/visit!

Fuertes on September 27, 2006. Photo by Mike Roman.

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Reposted by Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory

Dr. Jake Turner 📡🧲🪐 @astrojaket.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Pluto at Fuertes Observatory 🔭 Taken through the 102-year-old Irving Porter Church Refractor Image taken by Ben Jacobson-Bell & The Cornell Astronomical Society

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 08/07/2025

Here is M16, the Eagle Nebula! The photo was produced by three CAS members on June 25th, stacked from 184 x 30-second frames. 🔭 The exposures were taken using the 102-year-old f/15 Irving P. Church 12" Refractor at the Fuertes Observatory, stacked in Siril and post-processed in Photoshop.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 02/07/2025

We are a student organization at Cornell University, founded in 1972, consisting of student members with interests in all areas of astronomy! We host open house nights at the Fuertes Observatory every Friday night.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 30/06/2025

Here's a photo of the Ring Nebula (Messier 57), a planetary nebula in the constellation of Lyra! The image was taken by three club members through the 12" f/15 Church refractor the night of June 24th. This is 67x 30-second frames, stacked in Siril and post-processed with Photoshop.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 28/06/2025

Despite the poor forecast for tonight, we will still be at the Fuertes Observatory from 8 to midnight, with CAS members offering free public tours of our historic building, museum, and the 1922 Irving Porter Church Refractor telescope! Stop by on Cornell's North Campus in Ithaca.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 26/06/2025

Here is Messier 17, the Omega or Swan Nebula, photographed by members of the Cornell Astronomical Society this Tuesday evening (6/24/25)! The images were taken through the 12" f/15 Irving P. Church Refractor at the Fuertes Observatory. This is 124 x 30-second frames, stacked in Siril.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 25/06/2025

Here is a photograph of Messier 8, the Lagoon Nebula, taken by members of the Cornell Astronomical Society through the 1922 Irving P. Church 12-inch refractor yesterday! This is 49x 30-second exposures, stacked using Siril.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 24/06/2025

Here's the Cornell Astronomical Society's image of M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy, taken last night by four members at the Fuertes Observatory at Cornell! This is 8x 3-minute frames, taken through the 1922 Irving P. Church 12-inch refractor.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 23/06/2025

And after a finally clear evening (with no camera issues) of observing, here is the Cornell Astronomical Society's latest photo of M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy! This is 11 3-minute exposures, stacked, taken through the Irving P. Church 12-inch refractor at the Cornell University Fuertes Observatory.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 22/06/2025

Some recent photographs of the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, taken by members of the Cornell Astronomical Society through the Irving P. Church 12" telescope at Fuertes Observatory! Fighting with clouds gave us just a few frames to process, but we managed to create a fine image of this galaxy.

10 x 3 minute frames, taken on JPG mode (oops)

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 20/06/2025

Our June 2025 newsletter is out! This edition gives guidance on astrophotography and sky tours, visits the smallest things the universe has to offer, and marks the return of alumna Justine Singleton with another moon-related article. Enjoy reading! www.cornellastrosociety.org/newsletters/

cornellastrosociety.org

Newsletters | The Cornell Astronomical Society

Monthly newsletters about the goings-on at the Fuertes Observatory and other Cornell Astronomical Society involvements.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 20/06/2025

Despite most of our student members not being present in Ithaca this summer, Fuertes is still open for weekly open houses Friday nights, from 8 PM to midnight, on Cornell University's campus in Ithaca! Tonight's weather is not looking terrible, so we might be able to see a few stars.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 10/05/2025

Fuertes has still been open tonight despite the clouds and rain! We will continue to open every Friday night until at least Reunion weekend, the first Friday night in June. Stay tuned for updates following that time.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 23/04/2025

Members of the Cornell Astronomical Society captured this image of Bode's Galaxy, M81, last night through the 1922 Irving Porter Church 12-inch refractor at the Fuertes Observatory!

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Reposted by Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory

Carl Sagan Institute @carlsaganinstitute.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Sights from the total lunar eclipse in Ithaca, NY this morning, hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society (CAS) at Fuertes Observatory! www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/2... Image 2: CAS Vice President Andrew Lewis with the 102-year-old telescope 🔭

CAS Vice President Andrew Lewis with the 102-year-old telescope

A crowded view from the observation deck

One of the observatory's modern reflector telescopes pointed at the moon

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 14/03/2025

Fuertes Observatory will be open TONIGHT, from 10 PM to 6 AM, for the total lunar eclipse! Please join us as we observe the event, of the greatest magnitude that will be experienced here until 2029. More information can be found on our website: www.cornellastrosociety.org#eventinfo

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 12/03/2025

The Fuertes Observatory will be open tomorrow night for the total lunar eclipse! Join us any time after 10 PM for the eclipse starting at midnight – we'll stay open until 6, with maximum eclipse at around 3 AM. More information can be found on our website at www.cornellastrosociety.org#eventinfo.

The Fuertes Observatory, illuminated by red lights, with the moon bright in the background.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 07/03/2025

In our third lecture of the semester, Colby Merrill, a PhD candidate in aerospace engineering, will speak about the NASA/DART mission, which impacted the asteroid moon Dimorphos in 2022. Please join us at 7p in Appel 303 or on Zoom, linked on our website: www.cornellastrosociety.org/events/lectu...

cornellastrosociety.org

Lecture Series | The Cornell Astronomical Society

Past and upcoming lectures, hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 01/03/2025

Ah, for just one time, we are graced with a clear Friday night in Ithaca! Stop by Fuertes before midnight for observing tonight!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 28/02/2025

Please join us tonight at 7 PM for a lecture by Ka'iulani Murphy, Professor at Honolulu Community College, on traditional celestial navigation! The lecture will be in Appel Commons Room 303 on Cornell's north campus, or on Zoom as linked on our website at www.cornellastrosociety.org/lecture-series.

cornellastrosociety.org

Lecture Series | The Cornell Astronomical Society

Past and upcoming lectures, hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 08/02/2025

Hazy skies, but planets and the moon are still visible! Stop by before midnight!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 01/02/2025

Clouds and rain tonight at Fuertes. We’re still open until midnight for tours!

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 25/01/2025

Fuertes is open tonight on Cornell’s north campus! Cloud cover is expected to drop throughout the night, so there’s a chance to see some planets later this evening. 🔭🪐

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 18/01/2025

We're open from 8 PM until midnight to start the semester! Stop by Fuertes Observatory on Cornell's North Campus for clear skies tonight.

$The dome opening at Fuertes Observatory, with the Irving Porter Church refractor's objective in the foreground.$

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 14/01/2025

Happy 100th birthday, @atkinsopht.bsky.social! We all wish you the very best, and really appreciate your support for Fuertes over the past years – the help with your spectrograph for the April eclipse, your portrait of Professor Irving Porter Church, and the wisdom you continue to share with us.

Testing the spectrograph a few weeks before the 2024 total solar eclipse.

CAS members, from left to right Jack Qualkenbush, Ben Jacobson-Bell, Andrew Lewis, Shane Kuo, and Christopher Brown with Bill Atkinson's slitless spectrograph. A portrait donated by Bill Atkinson of Irving Porter Church, the namesake of our flagship telescope, rests on the display case to the left.

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Cornell Astronomical Society @ Fuertes Observatory @cornellastrosociety.org · 14/01/2025

Open houses at the Fuertes Observatory will resume for the Spring semester this Friday, 8 PM until midnight, to continue every Friday night for the remainder of the semester! We hope to see you here some time soon. Learn more on our website: www.cornellastrosociety.org

Fuertes Observatory during an open house, featuring comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) in the upper right of the image. Image credit Dr. Jake Turner.

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