03/23/2024

John Glenn Astronomy Park Upcoming Programs

through June 15, 2024

April 19-20: The Bright Moon Rises/Jupiter Bows Out 8:00 PM The moon is almost full this weekend, so we will again be focusing on it as it rises after dark. This is the last chance to see Jupiter before it dives into the sunset. 

April 26-27: The Moon Rises Late: 8:15 PM 

With the moon out of the way for a while, we will be able to admire The Galaxies in Leo, the Beehive cluster in Cancer the Crab, and the rich star cluster M35 in Gemini 

May 3-4: Lots and Lots of Galaxies  8:30 PM
On May evenings, observers on the surface of the Earth look out towards deep space.  With the Milky Way out of the way we can appreciate the vast realm of the galaxies- faint, fuzzy and far, far away.

May 10-11:  The Whirlpool Galaxy and Earthshine: 8:30 PM
The most glorious galaxy at the eyepiece of a telescope is M51, the great Whirlpool galaxy near the tail of the Big Dipper.  Come learn how to see its spiral arms in our large telescopes.  Also, the setting moon holds “Earthshine” on its night side.  

May 17-18:  Copernicus, the most dramatic crater 8:30 PM
One of the most striking crater on the surface of the moon is the rugged Copernicus. It is perfectly illuminated this weekend.  

May 24-25:  The Almost Full Moon and The Big Dipper 8:45 PM
The almost full moon rises just at it gets fully dark, so galaxies and nebulae are difficult to see.  But the Big Dipper has a striking double star called Mizar and Alcor, which can be admired with the naked eye and a telescope 

May 31-June1 Globular Clusters! 8:45 PM
One of the most beautiful objects in the spring and summer sky are globular cluster, great collections of hundreds of thousands of stars, we will be training our scopes on M3 and M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules.  They will be high overhead when skies are fully dark.

June 7-8 More Galaxies 9:00 PM
This is another dark night to admire the galaxies in the spring and early summer sky.  One highlight:  M104- the oddly shaped Sombrero Galaxy, which peeks up over the southern horizon at this time of year. 

June 14-15 Spring turns to Summer 9:00 PM
Spring is turning into summer later next week, and the sun is almost as far north as it will get.  It will start to set in our Summer Solstice sun slot.   Also, the rugged first quarter moon, including the Apollo 11, 16 and 17 sites.