Our Mission
The Franklin Township Astronomy Club is your gateway to amateur astronomical exploration. Based in Franklin Township, NJ, we work to bring together a community of people who share a common interest in learning about the universe
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Latest News
Thanks to all who participated in our Dark Sky Week activites in April!
For all of us who love looking deep into the night sky, one of the more troubling developments is the creeping loss of darkness. With continued population growth and land development, we are losing darkness at a rate of 2% per year. In fact, it’s estimated that only 2 in 10 people in the United States can see the Milky Way at night.
The Franklin Township Astronomy Club is committed to raising awareness of the impact of artificial light at night on our environment. We will be participating in a number of public events this month:
April 13-20 Township-wide commemoration of International Dark Sky Week: With the support of the Franklin Township Environmental Commission, the Township Council issued a proclamation in support of International Dark Sky Week from April 13-20. Our Club is proud of this accomplishment and grateful for Franklin Township’s support of this global observance
April 18: “Go Dark” sunset hike and astronomy night: Together with our club sponsor, the Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee, we partnered on a combined hike and observing night. Although clouds prevented a night of viewing, we were able to share in a discussion and Q&A about our telescopes and the way we both view and photograph the night sky.
April 22, Preserving Franklin’s Night Sky presentation at the Franklin Township Public Library. Club member Ron Urioste presented an overview on ways we can all contribute to reducing the impact of artificial light at night on our health and environment. For ways in which you can become involved in the Dark Sky movement, check out www.darksky.org
NEW DATE!!! SATURDAY < MAY 16 Wagner Farms Arboretum Astronomy Night: a small group of club members is joining with a larger group of amateur astronomers as we set up telescopes during this amazing night under the stars. Open to the public, we’d love to see you there! Wagner Farms Arboretum 97 Mountain Ave, Warren, NJ
Monthly Meeting
Don't forget our meetings are set for a new day, time and location for 2026!
Beginning in January, we are moving our monthly meetings to occur on the first Wednesday of each month, at 7:30 pm in the Franklin Township Community/Senior Center (505 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ)
Our May meeting agenda is set! Aside from Club News, and an overview of what's in the night sky in April, we will open up our meeting to a review of our plans for the summer months, and invite our member attendees to share their ideas for events and activities as we prepare to move the club into the second half of the year. And if the skies are clear, we'll invite you to bring your binoculars and telescopes outside to do some observing!
May we invite you to our May meeting? Join us on Wednesday, May 6th at 7:30 pm!
Meteor Shower Watch
Late April and May brings us the the Eta Aquariids. Although this is best viewed from the southern hemisphere, if you happen to be in the southern states at this time of the month, you might have a chance to see them as well.
When to watch: The best morning to watch is May 5, 2026, in the hours before dawn. The American Meteor Society is listing 3:51 UTC on May 5 as the shower’s predicted** peak time. The fact is that the peak of this shower stretches out over several days. So you can expect elevated numbers of meteors a few days before and after the peak time. The mornings of both May 4 and May 6 are also good times to watch!
Nearest moon phase: The last quarter moon will fall at 21:10 UTC on May 9. There will be a waning gibbous moon in the post-midnight sky, that sets after sunrise. The sky before dawn on the mornings around the predicted peak for the 2026 Eta Aquariids will compete with a bright gibbous moon. Find a way to block out the moon for a better view of the sky.
The radiant: will rise in the wee hours, climbing toward its highest point at dawn. That’s why the hours before dawn will be the best time to watch this shower.
Duration of shower: April 15 to May 27. This time period is when we’re passing through the Eta Aquariid meteor stream in space!
Expected meteors at peak, under ideal conditions: The zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of this shower (the rate at the shower’s peak, under a dark sky, with no moon, when the radiant is high in the sky) is 60. In 2026, a waning gibbous moon will severely affect this shower, reducing hourly rates. And be aware that the shower is best for latitudes like those in the southern half of the U.S. or even farther south, in the Southern Hemisphere. These are swift meteors that produce a high percentage of persistent trains.
Note: The Eta Aquariids’ radiant will be on the ecliptic, which will ride low in the sky on spring mornings as seen from far northerly latitudes. This shower favors more southerly latitudes (like those in the southern U.S. or the Southern Hemisphere), where the radiant appears higher in the morning sky. It’s often the Southern Hemisphere’s best meteor shower of the year.