About OCA
Bringing the Universe into Focus since 1967
The Orange County Astronomers is a non-profit organization whose main purpose is to spread knowledge and appreciation of the science of astronomy. The club has been doing this for more than 40 years and has grown to over 800 members.
Just a beginner? No problem! You will find many of our members joined the club when they were just beginners too! We even have a free beginners class in astronomy.
The club has an extensive variety of resources and activities to meet the wide needs of your interest in astronomy.
Monthly Meetings
The public is invited to attend our general meetings, held on the second Friday evening of every month at Chapman University in Orange. These meetings are a wonderful opportunity to learn about astronomy, and meet the local astronomical community.
The regular program starts at 7:30pm and includes an introduction to the night sky for that month followed by a stimulating and thought provoking talk. Keynote lecturers include world-renowned speakers from such places as JPL/CalTech and NASA.
Observing in comfort!
We have built an extensive observing facility on our 20 acre plot of land far away from the lights of the city. In this place, near the small town of Anza, our members can truly relax and enjoy the beauty of the skies from a location where the Milky Way is still visible to the naked eye.
This dark-sky site is just a two-hour drive from Orange County. It includes an array of facilities: the main observatory building with its 22-inch Cassegrain telescope, members observatories, members observing pads, public observing areas and a large mobile home with kitchen and bath facilities.
Special Interest Groups
To cater to the many aspects of this science that appeal to our members there are a number of special groups that meet regularly including:
AstroImagers, Astrophysics, Youth, Beginner's Class, etc.
For more detailed information on our activities check our Calendar, and Special Interests pages.