Astronomical Society of the Desert hosts this Star Party.
The fat crescent moon shows spectacular detail near the terminator, where the sun is just rising over the lunar landscape. Consider the beauty of our local mountains illuminated by the low sun just after sunrise or just before sunset. This evening the moon lies at the feet of Gemini and is surrounded by the huge Winter Hexagon of bright stars. April gives us our last looks at the Pleiades for the season. In coming weeks this Seven Sisters star cluster will lead the parade of winter stars toward their annual exits over the western horizon. Leo and Regulus ascend high in south, while the eastern sky fills up with stars of spring, notably Arcturus in Bootes the Bear Herder, and Spica, Virgo’s spike of grain. Saturn, near Spica this year and next, now shows rings tipped 8 degrees from edge-on, improving to 27 degrees by 2017. Please bring a flashlight and warm clothing for cool evening conditions, and, if you can, binoculars for exploring the sky. We will provide large telescopes for your viewing.
