KNOX — Amy and Russ Pokorny, known for the “star parties” they host at their Octagon Barn, have been given the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Night Sky Network Award in “recognition of Exceptional Outreach for sharing the wonders of the night sky and the inspiration of NASA missions with students, families, and their community.”

Dr. Valerie Rapson, an astronomer who lectures at both the Museum of Innovation and Science and the Dudley Observatory in Schenectady, nominated the Pokornys for the award, the first time the observatory has submitted for such an award, said Judy Keating, a volunteer at the observatory.

The Pokornys have been hosting nighttime events at the Octagon Barn since 2011. The Dudley Observatory had been seeking locations to feature dark skies, and the Pokornys were interested in bringing the observatory’s programming to the Hilltowns, said Amy Pokorny.

“It seemed like a good way to make use of the Octagon Barn,” she said.

The programs have since featured astronomers, physicists, and amateurs as speakers at the barn, followed by a viewing of the night sky outside, she said.

The barn is located on the same property in Knox where the Pokorny’s live in a house nearby powered by the sun.

“They’re all really wonderful,” she said of the speakers. She later added that the guests in the audience come from a range of areas, including students from Vermont, and ask well-informed, intriguing questions.

Some of the well-attended events include discussions on dark matter and extraterrestrial life, but also include young people through the observatory’s “Rising Star” internship, said Pokorny.

The couple uses red Christmas lights to show the way to a field on their Knox property that is equipped by the observatory with telescopes for stargazing, said Keating. Red lights are sometimes used by astronomers and others to preserve night vision. At the Octagon Barn, the Pokornys also supply food and drinks at the event, said Keating.

These “star parties” are hosted once a month from April to November.

“I’ve always enjoyed them,” said Keating, recalling one party with a lecture on Alfred Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Pokorny said that the work done by the observatory in the Hilltowns is important because it recognizes the dark skies there as a resource and makes the public aware of it.

“It’s become less available because development is coming in,” she said, adding that it is encroaching on the Hilltowns.

In 2011, the Knox Town Board passed a resolution to require new construction — both homes and businesses — to use only full-cutoff light fixtures, inspired by the Dudley Observatory’s interest at the time in using Knox with its rural dark skies for star observation. A proposed amendment to that law was defeated by the Knox Town Board in 2016.

Full cutoff light fixtures, first produced by General Electric in Schenectady over a half-century ago, keep light from escaping up, focusing it instead on the ground, which reduces sky glow and saves energy.

Russ Pokorny, Amy’s husband, said that Knox’s ordinance prevents light pollution, and homeowners can update their homes with things like full cutoff lighting so that they do not cause unnecessary light pollution as well.

Amy Pokorny also noted that the new light-emitting-diode street lights in Knox also prevent light pollution. She was instrumental in getting those lights as part of a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority project she spearheaded while on the town board.

The next “star party” will be on Aug. 17, at 8 p.m.; Jenn Carter of the University at Albany will discuss “Exoplanets:  Worlds beyond our solar system.” The events are free and open to the public, with no reservations required. The barn is located at 588 Middle Road in Knox.