SoCal Meteor Showers, Eclipse Happing Soon: Patch Stargazing Guide

SANTA MONICA, CA — If life ever gets you down, sometimes it helps to look up. The night skies are full of endless wonder, especially as scientists learn more and more about them. Southern California is home to some of the best planetariums and observatories around the world, and there are so many places and events to learn more about the majesty of the infinite universe.

Below are some upcoming events stargazers can enjoy, both on land and millions of light years away.

But first, where can you get the best view? Probably not anywhere around metro LA or San Diego, where light pollution has blocked out many of the best views. Unless you have an extra powerful telescope, head to rugged places like the Figueroa Crater, Joshua Tree, or the Amboy Crater. get the clearest views. Check out this map from cleardarksky.org, which shows the best places to stargaze around California through a color-coded map.

Here are some celestial events to look forward to in the next month, including a lunar eclipse:

• New Moon, Oct. 25: The best time of the month to observe galaxies and star clusters due to lack of moonlight.
• Taurids Meteor Shower, Nov. 4, 5: A shower that consists of two separate streams of about 5-10 meteors per hour.It will peak around Nov. 4. Best viewing is after midnight from a dark location.
• Total lunar eclipse, Nov. 8: The moon will pass through the Earth’s dark shadow, and turn a blood red color
• Uranus at Opposition, Nov. 9: The blue-green planet will be at its closest point to Earth, and visible all night long.
• Leonids Meteor Shower, Nov. 17-18: About 15 meteors per hour at its peak. Find a dark location after midnight.

And finally, below are a few of several events to learn more about the universe and get to know other stargazers.

• Regular shows at the Griffith Observatory.
• Science Night at Garvey Observatory, Oct. 29 from 3-9. Rocket launching, astronomy and science exhibits, Halloween costume parade. Garvey Ranch Observatory, Monterey Park.
• A Forest for the Trees: Oct. 30 at 11 a.m., Ace Mission Studios. Immersive art exhibit, partnering with NASA.
• UCLA Planetarium Show: Constellations Across Cultures, Nov. 2 from 8-9 p.m., UCLA Planetarium.
• Exploring Your Universe at UCLA Planetarium, Nov. 6 from 12-8. Free shows given by current astronomy grad students.
• Astronomy + Nova Science Overnighter at Mt. Wilson Observatory, Nov. 5-6. Take a guided visit through all the Mt. Wilson telescopes with an astronomer from Carnegie Observatories or NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.
• Total Lunar Eclipse Broadcast, Nov. 8 from 12 a.m.-6 a.m.: Livestreamed from Griffith Observatory.
• UCLA Planetarium Accessible Show for Blind/Low Vision Audiences, Nov. 9 from 7-8 p.m., UCLA Math Sciences Building, Room 8224. Explore how stars are made using 3D printed tactile images of real NASA data.
• UCLA Planetarium Show: Meteor Showers, Nov. 16 from 7-8 p.m., UCLA Planetarium
• Astronomy Night, Malibu Bluffs Park, Nov. 19 from 6-8: View the night sky with professional astronomers from the Los Angeles Astronomical Society.

Did we *space out* and forget something? Let us know in the comments.