There are so many spots in the Bay to enjoy stargazing, especially this spring and summer. It's a great way to spend an evening watching the nights sky, observing the constellations, and/or watching showers of meteors.
Check Out a Telescope
Did you know that you can now check out a telescope from the library!?!?!
UC Berkeley Astro Night Program (Free to the public and geared toward high schoolers)
Astro Night | Astronomy - Astro Night is a free stargazing and lecture event open to the public. Held on the first Thursday of the month (during select months, as weather permits), members of the public are invited to take part in guided stargazings using our fleet of telescopes, including our 17-inch telescope located in our roof-top observatory, in addition to attending a lecture from one of our many researchers. Members of our department will be on hand to answer your questions and tell you more about the going-ons in Campbell Hall! You can see recorded past talks on our YouTube Channel here
Free Telescope Viewings
Every Friday and Saturday Night, weather permitting
Chabot Observatory Deck
7:30-10:30 p.m.
Join Chabot astronomers on the Observatory Deck for free telescope viewing! Weather permitting, this is a chance to explore stars, planets and more through Chabot’s historic telescopes. Chabot’s three large historic telescopes offer a unique way to experience the awe and wonder of the Universe. Our observatory deck offers breathtaking views 1,500 feet above the Bay. Three observatory domes house the Center’s 8-inch (Leah, 1883) and 20-inch (Rachel, 1916) refracting telescopes, along with a 36-inch reflecting telescope (Nellie, 2003).
Meteor Showers
Wondering when you can catch a meteor shower? Find out here!
Other Resources
Taken from: Local Resources | Astronomy
The Bay Area has a wealth of resources for those interested in exploring the topic of Astronomy. Below is a list of various observatories, groups, and museums that are regularly open to the public or host events that are open to the public.
- The Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley has an excellent planetarium.
- SETI@home is another way to get involved by assisting the search for extraterrestrial intelligence right from your own computer.
- The Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, originally built in 1883, sponsors planetarium shows, and astronomy programs for K-12 teachers and students.
- The California Academy of Sciences’ Morrison Planetarium hosts a variety of astronomical events including the Dean lecture series and amateur observing nights, in addition to a wide variety of planetarium shows.
- The East Bay Astronomical Society, founded in 1924, hosts various talks and meetings. They also a good resource to find out what resources are available to the public.
- The Sonoma State University Dept of Physics and Astronomy holds monthly public viewing nights at the SSU Observatory and presents a weekly public lecture series, “What Physicists Do,” on Monday afternoons.
- The Mount Diabolo Astronomy Society publishes a newsletter, holds star parties, and hosts lectures on a regular basis.
- The California Department of Parks and Recreation sometimes offer events related to Astronomy and observing. They also provide a general guide to observing(PDF file) in state parks.
- The Astronomy Association of Northern California is an umbrella organization encompassing nearly all of the amateur astronomy societies in the region. Their site includes an excellent calendar of events, a resource guide, and information on the conferences, swap meets, and other events they sponsor.
- The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a great resource for events, internships, newsletters, and educational programs (plus their main office is located in San Francisco).
- The Robert Ferguson Observatory of the Valley of the Moon Obervatory Association provides outreach opportunities north of the bay.
- The James Lick Observatory, with its historic refractor optical telescope, is located on Mt. Hamilton (east of San Jose).
- The Hat Creek Radio Observatory, with its 10-element millimeter wavelength interferometer, is located north of Mt. Lassen in northern California.
- Public Astronomy Programs in the Bay Area
Let's look up to the stars.
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