Community Observatory

The water supply at the Observatory has been restored! We are hoping to be open from 8–10PM on Thursday, August 27 for the lunar eclipse, but unfortunately, Mother Nature may have other plans. As of right now, the weather forecast is not looking very promising, with even our most optimistic forecast calling for around 78% cloud cover for Thursday night. The lunar eclipse will already be underway when the Moon rises, with maximum coverage of approximately 96% occurring around 9:13 PM. The good news is that you don’t need to be at the Observatory or have any special equipment to enjoy the eclipse! As long as the Moon is visible from your location, you’ll be able to watch the event with your own eyes. If you do choose to join us at the Community Observatory, our docents will have telescopes aimed at the Moon, giving you an up-close look at the eclipse and all of its incredible lunar detail. August 28 & 29, 2026 (9:00–11:00 PM) Summer is winding down, but the evening sky at the Placerv...

What Can You expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? The moon doesn’t set until about midnight on Friday & Saturday, so it will be available to view! Unfortunately, we recently entered somewhat of a “planetary drought” during our public hours. Venus is now setting at around 9:30pm & will be very low on the horizon by the time we open. Saturn doesn’t rise until after 9:45pm & *might* be above the trees before we close, but unfortunately we do not want to make any promises about that since it’s going to be very close.  It is still Milky Way season which brings a spectacular variety of star clusters and nebulae into view! The magnificent Andromeda Galaxy is also beginning to make its return to the northeastern sky. For some of the best views of these incredible deep-sky objects, be sure to stop by our East Scope inside the observatory. Join us from 9 PM until 11PM on Friday or Saturday. Be sure to check www.communityobservatory.com after 3PM on the day you...

  What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? We had our largest crowd ever at the observatory on August 12 th for the Perseid Meteor Shower. Our WAG (Wild A$$  Guess) is that there were 2,500 people. Everyone got to see meteors AND the planet Saturn. What is amazing was that most of our visitors refused to get frustrated with the long lines and crowded conditions. I went back today to pick up any trash and there was virtually none.  We have wonderful visitors! So, what if you missed Wednesday night? Will you still be able to see meteors this weekend? The answer is a definite maybe. The thin crescent moon won't be an issue. The Perseid Meteor shower does have a long active window lasting from July 14 th until August 24th. That being said, the number per hour that you are likely to see drops off significantly after the peak. Our next big shower will be the Geminids which peak on Sunday, December 13 th . There will be a favorable moon that night ...

    What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? August is turning out to be an interesting month for our observatory. We had am event at the observatory last night and the sky was very impacted from the fires in Calaveras County. Even though it was a moonless night, we were probably limited to first and second magnitude stars at times. We can normally see magnitude 6.5. We are hoping for an extinguished fire and clearer skies by this weekend. The weather looks good and there will be no interference from the Moon. We had two very bright meteors that streaked across the sky while we were in the Sky Theater last night. While the peak of the Perseid Meteor shower is next Wednesday, August 12 th , some meteors can be seen several weeks before and after that date. That portends great things for Wednesday August 12 th . The meteors should peak around midnight and we will be open from 10 PM until 1 AM that night. We expect a large crowd so bring lawn ...

  What Can You Expect To See At The Placerville Observatory July 31 & August 1, 2026 (9:00–11:00 PM) If you've been waiting for a classic summer evening under the stars, this weekend should be an excellent opportunity to visit the Placerville Community Observatory. Our volunteer astronomers will be welcoming visitors from 9:00 to 11:00 PM on both Friday and Saturday evenings, weather permitting. Just two days after the Full Buck Moon of July 29, the Moon will be in its waning gibbous phase, still more than 90% illuminated. It will rise during the evening and brighten the sky as the night progresses, limiting views of the faintest deep-sky objects but providing spectacular telescopic views of the Moon itself. Expect to see striking mountain ranges, bright ray systems surrounding young craters, and rugged crater walls highlighted by the changing angle of sunlight. Even with the bright moonlight, there will be plenty to enjoy. Supernova 2026sqf has brightened to Magnitu...

A 85% illuminated bright waxing gibbous Moon will dominate the early evening sky this weekend. While its bright light may wash out some fainter galaxies and nebulae, it will also provide some excellent opportunities to explore the Moon's craters & mountain ranges through our telescopes!  Another exciting object available to view this weekend is Supernova SN 2026sqf. This is the explosion of a massive star that has reached the end of its life. It was discovered on July 8th in a galaxy a hundred million light years away!  We’re about to enter a bit of a planet drought in our evening skies. Venus is sinking lower toward the western horizon as it prepares to disappear from the evening sky. The good news is that Saturn isn’t too far behind & we only have to wait about 2 months to share its wonder with you once again! For those of you planning to join us August 12-13 for Perseids Meteor Shower, since we’ll be open until 1:00 a.m., it might give us our first opportunity of th...