Man Sets up Telescope on NYC Street for Passersby To Catch a Glimpse of Saturn

Astronomer with a telescope watching at the stars and Moon. My astronomy work.

Photo: milangucci/Depositphotos (Not a photo of the actual event.)

Astronomy is quite compelling regardless of your level of knowledge about it. After all, you don't need to be a professional astronomer to be fascinated by a full moon or a starry sky. That's why, when a man set up his telescope in the middle of a Brooklyn street, a lot of people stopped and took a break from their routines. Offered with a chance to take a quick peek at Saturn, the passersby got in line for an impromptu astronomy session.

This quirky scene was captured in a now-viral video. In the footage, a long line of people await their turn to look through the telescope, which casually sits in the middle of the road. Beside it, its owner stands by, likely ready to help or offer some insightful commentary. Those in the cars driving by the scene don't even look mad, and seem to slow down to figure out what's going on.

Despite the video being only a few seconds long, there are many things that stand out in this moment. The clip shows how science can easily be alluring to people from all walks of life and how we can always take time to slow down and appreciate something like this. But overall, it exemplifies how a little kindness and curiosity—the former coming from the telescope owner and the latter from those patiently waiting in line—can turn a group of strangers into a community, bonded by the sight of a planet millions of miles away.