Public observatory to be installed in the Bronx

Public observatory to be installed in the Bronx

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – A public observatory is planned to open in the Bronx this year, with the goal of making astronomy more accessible to New Yorkers, organizers said.

The Amateur Astronomers Association is spearheading the New York City Public Observatory project. The local nonprofit plans to install a small aluminum observatory in a field in Jerome Park on Goulden Avenue, next to the Jerome Park Reservoir.

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The observatory will be open to the public at no charge during events run by the Amateur Astronomers Association, the nonprofit said.

Bart Fried, the executive vice president of the Amateur Astronomers Association, said the group is working with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to finalize an agreement on the project.

Once the agreement is finalized, a groundbreaking on the project could happen in early March, according to Fried. The nonprofit’s goal is to have the dome in place by the week of May 7.

“It’s a small construction project so we think it can be built quickly,” Fried said.

The Amateur Astronomers Association said it would be paying for the project in its entirety through fundraising and donations. The volunteer-run nonprofit will operate and maintain the observatory.

The observatory was previously used by Nassau Community College.

Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 since 2022. See more of his work here.

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