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Access to the club’s own 20
acre dark-sky site for safe, comfortable observing any time
of the year
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Members can be trained to use
the club’s 22” computer controlled telescope in our observatory
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Free loaner telescopes
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Free access to an extensive
club library of books and videos
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Monthly newsletter
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Discounts on astronomy magazine subscriptions
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Special interest groups
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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 35 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 this
wonderful hobby.
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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.
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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.
*photo by oca member Bob Beck
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.
To cater to the many aspects of this
hobby that appeal to our members there are a number of special
groups that meet regularly including;
AstroImagers—formed to help everyone
interested in film and CCD astrophotography.
Electronics Oriented Astronomers—this
group is building a new remotely operated computer controlled
telescope facility for our Anza site.
We also have an astrophysics group
and even a group just for members who are interested in Meade
ETX telescopes. For beginners we also have a free class on
the first Friday of every month.
For more detailed information on our
activities check our Calendar, and
Regular Activities pages. For information by telephone, call the OCA
Starline at (714) 751-6867.
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