Caltech Astro will host a free community stargazing event at Gwinn Park in Altadena on Thursday, May 1 from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting. The event aims to provide public access to telescopes and astronomy expertise, allowing attendees to observe various celestial objects including the Moon, Jupiter, Mars, stars, galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae.
“Astronomers and telescopes will be present to provide attendees with a guided view of the sky, featuring views of Jupiter, Mars, the Moon, as as well as galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae. Professional astronomers will be on hand to answer your questions about astronomy, physics, and space,” according to event organizers.
The event is open to all members of the public with no reservations required. Since there is no formal program, visitors can drop by anytime during the two-hour window. NASA promotional items, or “swag,” including Hubble Space Telescope images, will be available for attendees to take home.
Gwinn Park is located on Orange Grove in Altadena, near Victory Park and the Eaton Wash. A Stargazing Welcome Area with information and NASA swag will be set up in the southeast corner of the park, with a map available on the event website.
Organizers ask participants to be mindful of noise levels in the residential neighborhood. They also request that visitors “do not bring bright flashlights, but instead rely on the ambient red lights to preserve your night vision and to guide you to the Welcome Area and the telescopes.”
Street parking will be available on streets adjacent to the park. Directions to Gwinn Park can be accessed by clicking the directions link on the event website.
The stargazing night is weather-dependent and will only proceed with clear skies. Prospective attendees are advised to check the Caltech Astro website on the day of the event for current and forecasted sky conditions. If weather is not clear enough to operate telescopes, the event will be postponed to another day.
The event is co-sponsored and staffed by astronomers from Caltech Astro, Carnegie Observatories, Mt. Wilson Observatory, and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, whose logos appear on the event materials.
For more information including directions, parking, weather updates, and other details, visit http://outreach.astro.
