Lifestyle

NYC hot spots open late for cosmic event

Late Wednesday night you can go to a bar and get blackout drunk — the good kind.

Astronomers and star watchers are gathering at waterholes across the city Wednesday to watch what they’re calling a “star wink,” a super rare cosmic occurrence where an asteroid will pass in front of one of the brightest stars in the sky, causing it to blackout for almost 14 seconds.

“It is hands down the most exciting stellar blackout any New Yorker will have ever seen,” says Jacqueline Faherty, a research scientist at the American Museum of Natural History. “I don’t know of another incident like this that’s happened in my lifetime.”

The blink — what astronomers call an occultation — is an even luckier coincidence for New Yorkers because it happens to be passing by Regulus, one of the brightest stars in our sky that’s actually visible with the naked eye.

It’s scheduled to zoom by at 2 a.m. Thursday morning, so astronomers will be stationed at four bars in Manhattan and Brooklyn to encourage people to look, and tell them how to do it.

Usually New York City misses out when it comes to stargazing thanks to all the tall buildings and bright skies. But the city is smack in the middle of the predicted path of the asteroid’s shadow. As long as the skies stay clear, starwatchers can watch it pass by with the naked eye. Two astronomers from the museum will be on hand at each spot to hand out star charts, explain the phenomenon and show people where to look in the sky.

“Basically it lets you mix bar fun with science fun,” Faherty says. “The best possible combination!”

The parties will involve doing some actual science, too. Participants can help figure out the shape of the asteroid by using a smartphone app called Occultation. Astronomers can use the information about how long the star disappeared for to figure out the object’s shape and trajectory.

Find the viewing parties at: Ding Dong Lounge (929 Columbus Ave.; 212-663-2600); Art Bar (52 Eighth Ave.; 212-727-0244); the Way Station (683 Washington Ave., Prospect Heights; 347-627-4949); and Pacific Standard (82 Fourth Ave., Boerum Hill; 718-858-195l).

The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum is also hosting a viewing event with darker skies and telescopes, but no booze (Pier 86, 46th Street and the Hudson River. RSVP required: 212-245-0072, intrepidmuseum.org).