RFO Night Sky Classes, Spring Season Individual Classes, January 28-May 6, 2019
Robert Ferguson Observatory, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Kenwood, CA
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Night Sky Classes are offered in three seasonal series (six classes each) and are designed for everyone from total beginners to experienced amateur observers. Persons who take all three Night Sky series (18 classes in all) will learn the entire sky seen from our northern latitude. Whether you want to learn the constellations or have a telescope and want to expand your knowledge of deep sky objects, the solar system and beyond, these classes have something for you.
Tickets may be purchased for individual classes or for the six class Spring Season.
Program information:
The presentations last approximately 90 minutes. A few constellations are introduced in each class: their myths, history and interesting stars. We also cover deep sky objects within those constellations, such as the beautiful nebulae and clusters that never cease to awe and amaze. A detailed list of topics for each class is listed below. After class (sky conditions permitting), we go outside and locate the constellations presented. Then we move to the Observatory's telescopes to view the individual objects until 10:30 pm, or later.
The observatory is a 501(3)(c) institution, and all proceeds from this event go towards maintaining its many public education programs.
For information about other upcoming events please visit our calendar and our Brown Paper Ticket listings: RFO on BPT.
The presentations starts promptly at the time shown: please consider your travel time before purchasing tickets (below). Refunds allowed up to 24 hours before the start of the event.
Spring Night Sky Class Schedule:
Jan 28, 7:00 pm, Class #1: Asterisms and Constellations, Stars, Deep Sky Objects, Sky Charts, "Winter Hexagon", Constellations: Canis major, Canis minor, Puppis
Feb 4, 7:00 pm, Class #2: Sky Motion and the Seasonal Skies, Celestial Poles and Celestial Equator, the Ecliptic and Zodiac, Constellations: Gemini, Lynx, Cancer
March 4, 7:00 pm, Class #3: Obliquity of the Ecliptic, Equinoxes and Solstices, Precession and Epochs, Constellations: Ursa major, Ursa minor, Leo minor
April 1, 7:30 pm, Class #4: Galaxies, Galaxy Clusters and Super-Clusters, Spiral Structure and Star Formation, the Milky Way and Our Milky Way Neighborhood, the Galactic Halo and Globular Clusters, Constellations: Hydra, Sextant, Crater, Corvis
April 29, 7:30 pm, Class #5: The Solar System, the "Spring Arc", Constellations: Leo, Bootes, Canis venatici
May 6, 7:30 pm, Class #6: The Moon and Eclipses, Constellations: Virgo, Coma berenices
Spring Season Passes for all six classes are $75. To purchase the season pass, follow this link: A Spring Season Pass.
