What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend?

This weekend should be an excellent one under the stars! We’ll be open Friday and Saturday from 7:30–9:30 PM, and the forecast is calling for clear skies with a beautiful waxing crescent Moon. That means that the Moon will not be up during our public viewing. While conditions look promising, please be sure to check our website (communityobservatory.com) after 3 PM on the day you plan to visit to confirm that we’ll be open.

Jupiter and Saturn are still visible and are always spectacular sights. If you arrive early enough on Friday, you will have the opportunity to observe Jupiter’s Great Red Spot which is a massive storm larger than Earth, with winds reaching up to 400 mph!

One of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky is Orion the Hunter. The image above features the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33), located near Orion’s Belt. This nebula is a cloud of gas and dust approximately 1,300 light-years away. The distinctive “horse head” silhouette appears dark because dense dust blocks the light from behind it.

The Horsehead Nebula is also a stellar nursery, meaning new stars are forming within and around it. It is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, a region well known for active star formation.

This image was captured using our East Scope by docent Logan Brewer.


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