Corner telescope sparks pedestrians’ interest in the stars

Even light pollution from New York City is not enough to dampen local astronomers’ enthusiasm for stargazing.

On Sunday, John Benfatti, an astronomy enthusiast and member of the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, set up his telescope at the corner of Johnson Avenue and West 235th Street.

As people passed, he offered them an opportunity to peer through the lens to view the Moon, Venus and Saturn. 

Mr. Benfatti tries to set up his telescope every month. He said he prefers to set up during the quarter phase of the moon — which occurred on July 6 — as the sharp angle from the sun makes the mountains and craters seem more pronounced to the viewer. 

Mr. Benfatti, who grew up in New York City, said he has had a fascination with the stars since he was 10 years old.  Now, as a member of the New York Amateur Astronomers Association, he takes to the streets to bring his passion directly to the public and spark the community’s interest in astronomy.  

He found no shortage of onlookers intrigued by his telescope. Many going about their business took a brief moment to gaze through the apparatus. Others who recognized Mr. Benfatti from the time he set up on Johnson Avenue last month stopped to thank him for coming again before looking through the lens. 

Mr. Benfatti has a talent for recognizing the spark of curiosity among bystanders, and invited many to take a peek. Each person he stopped seemed grateful for the opportunity to see a number of heavenly bodies up close.

Adults and children alike, some of whom admitted to never having looked through a telescope before, were delighted by the views. Although Johnson Avenue, a commercial street, may seem like a strange spot to set up a telescope, each person who looked through the eyepiece was summarily impressed by the image of the Moon, which revealed considerable detail even before the sun went down. 

But the view became increasingly spectacular as the sun set. Sights of Venus and Saturn, both of which became visible after sunset, also evoked reactions of awe from those looking through Mr. Benfatti’s instrument.

Mr. Benfatti says he sets up on Johnson Avenue specifically because there is a relatively high volume of foot traffic and as a result, more people for him to introduce to the skies. 

“To get more people interested in astronomy, it’s better to set up in a spot like this,” he said.  “To see people’s reaction, get excited, that’s what we want to do.”