Posts

Image
What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? The new moon falls on next Wednesday so both this weekend and next will be very dark. Unfortunately, the prediction is for about 50% cloud cover. We will be monitoring the weather and will decide if we will be open no later than 3 PM on the day of the event. Be SURE to check communityobservatory.com after 3 PM on the day you plan to visit. If we are going to be closed, we will post it by then. This is our first weekend for our Daylight Savings Time Summer schedule. We will be there from 9:00 until 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays until November when we drop back to standard time. Jupiter and Uranus are the only planets that you are likely to see this weekend. Venus and Saturn will have set in the west before we open. This year’s much hyped “Planetary Parade” turns out to be a disappointment. There are some great deep-sky objects to view this time of the year. Orion continues to impressively occupy the Southern Hor...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
    What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? The days are getting longer by about 2 minutes each day.   The Sunset is after 6 PM now and good seeing won’t be until after 7 PM. With next week’s change to Daylight Savings Time, a 7:30 start time would mean that we would be starting while it is still quite light. So, this is our last week to be meeting from 7:30-9:30 PM. We will be switching to our Summer Hours of 9 until 11 PM next weekend. The Moon was full on Tuesday morning and has been rising around 50 minutes later each day. It won’t rise until after we close on Friday and Saturday. Given that and a prediction of clear skies, it could be a great weekend to visit the observatory. Last week’s “Planetary Alignment” did not nearly live up to social media hype. We had a weather closure on Saturday but several of us still showed up because we knew people would still show up. About twenty people did show up and we were able to show Jupiter...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? We will have a mostly-full gibbous waxing moon this weekend. That won’t make for optimal seeing. The weather also isn’t cooperating with “considerable cloudiness” forecast for both Friday and Saturday night. So, please be sure to check out our website before you make the trip up the hill. We will delay cancelling until it is clear that we won’t have decent seeing. If we are going to close, we will announce that by 3 PM on the day of the event. You may have heard of the “planetary parade”   or “planetary alignment” on social media. Well, it is partially true but most of the posts are hype. Both Mercury and Venus have moved into the evening sky but they will be quite low in the west. Saturn and Neptune are also quite low in the west. Objects close to the western horizon are difficult to see because they are only up when the Sun has recently set and they set soon after the Sun. Jupiter and Uranus are the ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
    What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? We’re heading into another weekend that  could  be promising for stargazing — but  weather looks like the wildcard  once again.     Weather Outlook     We could have clear skies this Friday and Saturday. The weather forecasts that we monitor are not agreeing with each other and the weather this week has been volatile. As always with mid-February in the Sierra foothills,  conditions can shift quickly , so please  check communityobservatory.com   before you head up the hill. We typically wait until around 3 PM on the day of the event to announce closures if clouds or rain make observing impractical.    What’s in the sky?     Moon Phase:  This weekend is still close to the  new moon window , which generally makes for excellent observing condit...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? This is the weekend closest to the new moon which should make for excellent seeing. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t cooperating with “considerable cloudiness” forecast for both Friday and Saturday night. So, please be sure to check out our website before you make the trip up the hill. We will delay cancelling until it is clear that we won’t have decent seeing. If we are going to close, we will announce that by 3 PM on the day of the event. You may have heard of the “planetary parade”   or “planetary alignment” on social media. Well, it is partially true but most of the posts are pure hype. Both Mercury and Venus have moved into the evening sky but they will be quite low in the west. Saturn and Neptune are also quite low in the west. Objects close to the western horizon are difficult to see because they are only up when the Sun has recently set and they set soon after the Sun. Jupiter and Uranus are th...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? We have a potentially good weekend for viewing the sky. The waning gibbous moon won’t rise until almost 11 PM on Friday and it will be an hour later Saturday. The weather forecast predicts some clouds with average seeing. Saturday looks to be a bit better than Friday. At worst, if it is like last weekend, we will be able to see only the brightest objects. So, please be sure to check out our website before you make the trip up the hill. If we are going to close, we will announce that by 3 PM on the day of the event. The stellar sights will continue to be Jupiter and Saturn. Both will be well positioned and magnificent even if we have high thin clouds (our norm lately). Jupiter’s cloud bands and 4 bright moons will be easily seen. Those of you with excellent eyes may be able to see the Great Red Spot. Saturn is moving lower into the west and will be less impressive than it has been. Nevertheless, its yellow orb and ed...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
NASA Orrery What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend? We are hoping to be able to meet this weekend but, as of now, the prediction is for heavy cloud cover. This is also the full moon weekend so deep sky viewing won’t be great either. If you are considering joining us this weekend, be sure to check our website or Facebook after 3 PM on the day you want to visit. If we are going to close, we will announce it by then. This full moon is called the “Wolf Moon.” It is called that because Native American and early Colonial traditions noted that wolves were heard howling more often in mid winter. It isn’t a Super-Moon but it will be slightly bigger and brighter than the average Moon. We still have Jupiter and Saturn prominently displayed. Both are well above the horizon during our public viewings. Do you remember last year’s “Planetary Parade?” There was a bunch of media hype about it. You probably saw illustrations of bright planets in a line. You would have read...
Post a Comment
Read more