Orange County Astronomers

Private Outreach - Ethel Dwyer Middle School
2019-10-21 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Ethel Dwyer Middle School, 1502 Palm Ave, Huntington Beach, CA, 92648, United States
Event: Ethel Dwyer Middle School
Date: Monday, 10/21/2019
Viewing at 7:15 PM, Sunset at 6:14 PM
Place: Ethel Dwyer Middle School
Address: 1502 Palm Ave; Huntington Beach
Location: 33°40’11″N, 118°00’17″W
Directions: Take CA-55 South towards the 405, Costa Mesa. Use Right two lanes to merge onto 405 North towards Long Beach, 5.0 mi. Take exit 14 for Brookhurst St – keep Left at the fork, following signs for Brookhurst St South. Merge onto Brookhurst St. Turn Right onto Ellis Ave, 2.0 mi. Continue onto Main Street, 1.5 mi. Use Right two lanes to make a Right onto 17th St., 0.5 mi. Turn Left onto Palm Ave. School will be on your Left.
Views: 3

Last Qtr Moon
2019-10-21 00:00, 2019-09-21 00:00
Views: 3

Public Outreach - OC Parks Astronomy Night
2019-10-19 19:15 - 21:15 | O’Neill Regional Park, 30892 Trabuco Canyon Rd, Trabuco Canyon, CA, 92679, United States
Event: OC Parks Astronomy Night
Date: Saturday, 10/19/2019
Time: Viewing at 7:15 PM, Sunset at 6:15 PM
Place: Held at O’Neill Regional Park
Address: 30892 Trabuco Canyon Rd.; Trabuco Canyon, 92679
Location: 33°39’05″N, 117°36’03″W
Directions: Head to I-5 South towards San Diego. Take exit 91 towards El Toro Rd via Avenida De La Carlota. Use the Left three lanes to turn Left onto El Toro Rd. Travel 7.5 mi. and turn Right onto Live Oak Canyon Rd. Live Oak becomes Trabuco Canyon Rd. Looks for signs for O’Neill Regional Park on the Right.
Views: 3

Astrophysics SIG Meeting
2019-10-18 19:30 - 21:30, 2019-09-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Orange Coast College, Building 40, Astronomy House, Merrimac Way, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
Our Astrophysics group meets to discuss and learn about how the universe works as a seminar group that bases its discussions on topics of interest introduced by the participants and the videos that are shown during the meetings on different aspects of astrophysics. The meetings are held in the classroom at the Heritage Museum of Orange County, located at 3101 W. Harvard Ave., Santa Ana. The museum is located about a half-block west of Fairview; Harvard is about two miles north of the 405 Fwy, between Warner and Edinger. The driveway is at the western end of the museum property; follow it around to the back of the property to the parking area; the classroom faces the parking area. All members are welcome – come join us for a stimulating evening!

Views: 3

Private Outreach - Yorba Linda Public Library
2019-10-18 19:15 - 21:15 | Yorba Linda Public Library, 18181 Imperial Hwy, Yorba Linda, CA, 92886, United States
Event: Yorba Linda Public Library
Date: Friday, 10/18/2019
Viewing at 7:15 PM, Sunset at 6:17 PM
Place: Yorba Linda Public Library
Address: 18181 Imperial Highway; Yorba Linda
Location: 33°53’28″N, 117°48’54″W
Directions: Take CA-55 N towards the CA-91. Merge onto CA-91 E, 1.9 mi. Use Right two lanes to take exit 36 for Imperial Hwy/ CA-90. Use Left two lanes to turn Left onto CA-90/N Imperial Hwy, 3.2 mi. Library will be located on right hand side.
Views: 3

Private Outreach - Loma Vista Elementary
2019-10-17 19:15 - 21:00 | Loma Vista Elementary, 13822 S Prospect Ave, Santa Ana, CA, United States
Event: Loma Vista Elementary
Date: Thursday, 10/17/2019
Viewing at 7:15 PM, Sunset at 6:18 PM
Place: Loma Vista Elementary
Address: 13822 S Prospect Ave; Santa Ana
Location: 33°45’44″N, 117°49’09″W
Directions: Merge onto I-5 N; go 2.5 mi. Take exit 103A for CA 55 N; go 0.2 mi. Keep left and merge onto CA-55 N; go 1.0 mi. Take exit 12 for 17th St; go 0.3 mi. Turn right onto E 17th St; go 0.5 mi. Turn left onto Prospect Ave; go 0.2 mi. Turn right onto 17th St; go 0.5 mi. Turn left onto Prospect Ave; go 0.2 mi.. Enter the parking lot at the church before (just south of) the school. Enter the gate at the back of the school (from the church parking lot). Cross over the field to the back top area.
Views: 3

Private Outreach - Rossmoor Elementary Campout
2019-10-16 19:30 - 21:30 | Rossmoor Elementary Campout, 3272 Shakespeare Dr., Los Alamitos, CA, 90720, United States
Event: Rossmoor Elementary Campout
Date: Wednesday, 10/16/2019
Viewing at 7:30 PM, Sunset at 6:20 PM
Place: Rossmoor Elementary Campout
Address: 3272 Shakespeare Drive; Los Alamitos
Location: 33°47’33″N, 118°04’38″W
Directions: Take CA-55 South to I-5, take the exit for 1-5 North towards Santa Ana/Anaheim. Take exit 102 to merge onto CA-22 W towards Seal Beach., 10 mi. Keep right to take on CA-22 W, 1 mi and continue to stay on CA-22 W as it merges with the 405 N. Take exit 22 for Seal Beach Blvd towards Los Alamitos Ave. Turn Right onto Seal Beach Blvd, 0.8 mi. Continue onto Los Alamitos Blvd., 0.3 mi. Turn Left onto Rossmoor Way and then turn Right onto Shakespeare Drive. School is on left.
Views: 3

Full Moon
2019-10-13 00:00, 2019-09-13 00:00

General Meeting - October 2019
2019-10-11 19:30 | Irvine Lecture Hall of the Chapman University, 336 N Center St, Orange, CA, 92866, United States
The Universe in Infrared Light (There is no Red in Infrared)
The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum plays an indispensable role in both terrestrial and astronomical applications. On Earth, IR light runs our remote controls, provides security and surveillance, and identifies disease. In space, infrared light allows us to explore planet surface features, quantify an atmosphere, and probe through a galactic dust cloud. As advanced technology expands both the size and sensitivity of the IR sensor array, missions like New Horizons and spacecraft like the James Webb Space Telescope become practical.

Today’s infrared devices make discoveries of thousands of asteroids by the likes of NeoWise to Big Bang protogalaxies imaged by Hubble-like space telescopes something no longer beyond human accomplishment.. This talk will make a somewhat abbreviated overview of the role infrared light and the IR sensor have played in modern astronomy.

Gary Bostrup
Gary is a retired Rockwell International Science Center semiconductor materials engineer working in the infrared (IR) sensor field. Over his career, he helped design and build IR detectors for everything from the Hubble Space Telescope, to the Deep Impact Probe, to the New Horizons spacecraft, to the James Web Space Telescope. Devices Gary help create are active to this day in astronomical observatories around the world from Mauna Kea in Hawaii to South Wales, Australia. Among the many discoveries, sensors built by his team helped establish the current limit of the Big Bang at 13.8 billion light years. recorded the first impacts on Jupiter of the comet Shoemaker-Levy, and finally charted the surface of Pluto. Gary was honored to work with fellow engineers across several disciplines that designed and built the infrared sensors to be launched on the James Web Space Telescope in 2020.
Gary also trained to be an astronaut payload specialist, intended to fly abroad the Space Shuttle Discovery. In the process, he logged over 10,800 seconds in near-zero gravity aboard NASA’s Vomit Comet Boeing 707 low gravity airplane platform. He also served on the NASA material design committee tasked to help build the International Space Station. Gary followed this with space research done at Edward’s Air Force Base, Marshall Space Flight Center and NASA Washington. These days he enjoys collecting space memorabilia, doing web design/coding, and contacting the ISS space station as a ham radio operator.
Views: 3

Public Outreach - International Observe the Moon Night
2019-10-05 19:30 - 21:30 | Nix Nature Center, 18751 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, CA, 92651, United States
Event: International Observe the Moon Night
Date: Saturday, 10/5/2019
Viewing at 7:30 PM, Sunset at 6:33 PM
Place: Held at Laguna Canyon Wilderness Park
Address: 18751 Laguna Canyon Rd; Laguna Beach
Location: 33°36’29″N, 117°45’51″W
Directions: Take CA-55 S to I-5 South. Take exit 11A to merge onto I-5 South; go 7.7 mi. Take exit 95 for State Hwy 133 South. Merge onto CA-133 S; go 5.4 mi. Nix Nature Center is on the right (west side of the street).
Views: 3

1st Qtr Moon
2019-10-05 00:00, 2019-09-05 00:00

Beginner's Class
2019-10-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Orange Coast College, Building 40, Astronomy House, Merrimac Way, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
The 2nd session of the Beginners Astronomy Class covers the different types of equipment used to observe the night sky, including telescopes, mounts, eyepieces, filters, and advantages and disadvantages of different options.
This session is a must if thinking about buying a telescope.
The Beginners Astronomy Class is held at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana. For details, please visit /special-interest-groups/beginners-class/ and download the sample information PDF package.
Free and open to the public as well as members of OCA.
Note: All who attend will be invited to visit our monthly Orange County star party.
Views: 3

Private Outreach - La Paz Middle School
2019-10-04 19:30 - 21:30 | La Paz Middle School, 25151 Pradera Dr, Mission Viejo, CA, 92691, United States
Event: La Paz Middle School
Date: Friday, 10/4/2019
Viewing at 7:30 PM, Sunset at 6:34 PM
Place: La Paz Middle School
Address: 25151 Pradera Dr; Mission Viejo
Location: 33°35’51″N, 117°40’06″W
Directions: Take CA-55 South to I-5. Take the exit for I-5 South towards San Diego and merge onto I-5 South, 13 mi. Take exit 89 for La Paz Rd, 0.2 mi. Use the Left 2 lanes to turn Left onto La Paz Rd, 0.8 mi. Turn Right onto Pradera Dr. School will come up on your Right.
Views: 3

Astroimagers (AISIG) Meeting
2019-10-02 18:30 - 21:00, 2019-09-04 18:30 - 21:00 | The Urban Workshop, 365 Clinton St A, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
Tonight is the meeting of the AstroImagers Special Interest Group (AISIG). The meeting will start at 6:30pm and ends at 9pm at the Urban Workshop. This meeting is open to all members of the OCA. We have members of all skill levels and this is the place to ask questions, learn and meet other members interested in imaging the sky. All skill levels are welcome, experience is not necessary. Please arrive promptly as the meetings do start at 6:30pm, the venue closes at 9pm so we must leave by then.

Views: 3

Private Outreach - San Mateo Campground
2019-09-28 19:30 - 21:30 | San Mateo Campground, 830 Cristianitos Rd, San Clemente, CA, 92672, United States
Event: San Mateo Campground
Date: Saturday, 9/28/2019
Time: Viewing at 7:45 PM, Sunset at 6:42 PM
Place: San Mateo Campground
Address: 830 Cristianitos Rd; San Clemente, 92672
Location: 33°24’18″N, 117°35’04″W
Directions: Take CA-55 south to the I-5. Take the I-5 South toward San Diego – go 30.8 mi. Take the Cristianitos Rd exit; go 0.2 mi. Turn left on Cristianitos Rd – go 0.9 mi. Turn right after entering park and go a half mile to the parking lot on right (just below the amphitheater).
Views: 3

Canceled - Private Star Party - Orange County
2019-09-28 18:00 - 23:30
Due to overnight rain, and solid overcast the Sept 28 OC Star Party have been canceled.
Views: 3

Private star party – Anza
2019-09-28 18:00, 2019-08-31 18:00

New Moon
2019-09-28 00:00

Private Outreach - Laguna Woods Astronomy Club
2019-09-17 20:15 | Laguna Woods Astronomy Club, 24351 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA, 92637, United States
Event: Laguna Woods Astronomy Club
Date: Tuesday, 9/17/2019
Viewing at 8:15 PM, Sunset at 6:58 PM
Place: Held at Clubhouse 5
Address: 24262 Punta Alta; Laguna Woods
Location: 33°36’30″N, 117°44’54″W
Directions: Take CA-55 to I-5 South. Merge onto I-5 South; go 11.9 mi to the El Toro Rd exit. Merge onto Paseo de Valencia; go 0.2 mi. Turn right onto El Toro Rd and go 2.1 mi to Calle Corta. Turn right on Calle Corta into Gate 9. Turn right at Avenida Sosiega; go 0.2 mi. Turn left at Monte Hermoso; go 0.3 mi. Turn right at Punta Alta, Clubhouse 5 is on the right.
Views: 3

OCA Board Meeting
2019-09-15 11:00 - 14:00 | The Urban Workshop, 365 Clinton St A, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
The Board meeting of the OCA Astronomers will be held at the Urban Workshop, in Costa Mesa. The meeting starts at 11pm and usually last 2-3 hours. All members are welcome but please notify Alan Smallbone the club secretary if you will be attending.

Views: 3

General Meeting - September 2019
2019-09-13 07:30 - 21:30 | Irvine Lecture Hall of the Chapman University, 336 N Center St, Orange, CA, 92866, United States
News from the Universe

The Virgo and two LIGO Gravitational Wave observatories are in observation mode. They detect more than one inspiral event per week, of Black Holes and Neutron Stars, and started making a strange picture of the collapsed-matter Universe.
Why are there so many heavy Black Holes out there? How did they form in the early Universe? Why so many inspirals? And also why BH pairs appear to come from random pairing and not from binary star systems? And on another front, how can pulsar neutron stars be spheres smoother than 20 µm over 12 km radius and still be rigid enough to generate the starquakes believed to cause the pulsar frequency glitches? These are some of the new questions we have to answer. We also learned about the source of at least one class of Gamma Ray Bursts, the galactic gold factories, and more.
Riccardo DeSalvo

A lifetime instrument maker, starting from the laser of his thesis in Pisa, then for 15 years in High Energy Physics (CERN and Cornell Lab for Nuclear Studies), finally 25 years on Gravitational Waves, on mechanical design of GW detectors (Virgo, TAMA, KAGRA and parts of LIGO), initially on seismic isolation, then on dissipation mechanisms and thermal noise in dielectric coating mirrors, the limiting factor of GW detection. Presently make a living developing sensors for FB, and work on coatings and GW developments as a personal hobby, with 3-4 students.
Views: 3

Private Outreach - Los Alamitos Elementary Campout
2019-09-06 20:15 - 22:00 | Los Alamitos Elementary, 10862 Bloomfield St, Los Alamitos, CA, United States
Event: Los Alamitos Elementary Campout
Date: Friday, 9/6/2019
Viewing at 8:15 PM, Sunset at 7:15 PM
Place: Los Alamitos Elementary Campout
Address: 10862 Bloomfield St.; Los Alamitos
Location: 33°48’21″N, 118°03’43″W
Directions: Take CA-91 West. Take the Valley View exit. Turn left onto Valley View from the exit ramp; go 3.0 mi. Turn right onto Ball Rd. go 2.0 mi. Turn left onto Bloomfield St and go 0.8 mi.
Views: 3

Beginner's Class
2019-09-06 19:30 - 21:30 | Orange Coast College, Building 40, Astronomy House, Merrimac Way, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
The first session of the Beginners Astronomy Class gives a general overview of all of the different objects you can see in the night and day time skies, with some history and information about what they are and their significance. An overview of the current scientific understanding of the Universe’s beginning, present and future is also covered.
The Beginners Astronomy Class is held at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana. For details, please visit /special-interest-groups/beginners-class/ and download the sample information PDF package.
Free and open to the public as well as members of OCA.
Note: All who attend will be invited to visit our monthly Orange County star party.
Views: 3

Public Outreach - Stanton Star Party
2019-08-30 20:30 - 22:30 | Stanton Central Park, 10660 Western Ave, Stanton, CA, 90680, United States
Event: Stanton Star Party
Date: Friday, 8/30/2019
Viewing at 8:30 PM, Sunset at 7:24 PM
Place: Stanton Star Party
Address: 10660 Western Avenue; Stanton
Location: 33°48’28″N, 118°00’07″W
Directions: Take CA-55 North and take exit for CA-22 W towards Garden Grove. Follow CA-22 W to Westminster, 8.3 mi. Take exit 7 for Garden Grove Fwy. Turn Right onto Garden Grove Fwy and make an immediate Left onto Western Ave, 2.3 mi. Stanton Central Park will be on your Right.
Views: 3
