Astronomy and Star Parties with Jana

A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket graced the sky while I was setting up the telescope at the observatory for my guests! The rocket was launched from Vandenburg, California and this was the view from Tucson, AZ. The Scorpious constellation is clearly visible with the rocket right below the head of the scorpion. What a stellar night!

AURORA ALERT! A severe G4 geomagnetic solar storm is predicted which could produce aurora seen as far south as Tucson, Arizona! Aurora may be visible tonight but predicted to peak Sunday night. This is the result of a massive CME (coronal mass ejection) that launched electrically charged plasma from the sun and is on a 93 million mile journey to directly impact earth! Here is another chance for many across the world to have the opportunity to experience this beautiful celestial event! Find dark skies away from light pollution and a clear view to the north. Its hard to predict when the CME will arrive. NOAA forcasters think it will collide with a weaker CME that ejected from sunspot 4100 creating this more intense impact. The weather is not looking great for Tucson but let's hope that changes. Great sites to follow for updates include NOAA Aurora Forecast, Space Weather, The University of Fairbanks Aurora Forecast and Soft Serve News. Happy aurora chasing!

Get ready for a beautiful celestial show! A total lunar eclipse is only days away! The link below is a great informative tool that allows you to enter your location to see if the eclipse will be visible from where you are and the exact times of each eclipse phase. No need for a telescope. I find it best to enjoy naked eye and with a simple pair of binoculars. Wishing everyone clear skies!

Total Lunar Eclipse on March 13–14, 2025 – Where and When to See Total lunar eclipse on March 13–14, 2025: Where and when is the Blood Moon visible and what will it look like? Visibility map, animation, and local times.

Monday January 13th we are in for a special celestial treat! A Mars occultation and opposition at once! Add a full moon to make it extra stellar! The full moon will occult( pass in front of) Mars. Mars will disappear behind the moon for about an hour before reappearing. Similar to these photos I took of an occultation in January 2023. This time Mars is at opposition meaning it rises opposite to the setting sun and is therefore at its brightest and closest to Earth. Right now with Mars at opposition we can clearly see the polar ice caps and surface features through a telescope! Similar to this photo of Mars that my friend Kirk Wines took recently. Opposition of Mars occurs on average every 26 months but occulations are more rare. This event will be visible all across the US between 6:30 and 9pm depending on your location. I added a pic of major cities and times to give you an idea but best to check with a star app for more specific times. Visible naked eye but best with binoculars or a telescope. Wishing everyone clear skies!

TONIGHT! The entire United States may have a chance to see the aurora! A very large solar storm is predicted as a result of 2 CME's (coronal mass ejections) from X- flares that erupted from a giant sunspot! The KP index is predicted to reach 7 but could be stronger or weaker than predicted. Space Weather stated this is the strongest solar flare of solar cycle 25 so if the storm is stronger than even the southern states could see aurora like earlier this year! No moon so conditions are ideal for viewing if you get away from city lights. Great sites to follow for updates are Noaa Aurora Forcast, Space Weather, the University of Fairbanks aurora and Soft Serve Aurora.

One of the best meteor showers of the year, the Perseids, peaks this Sunday night August 11th! The best time to view the celestial show will be after 11pm when the waxing crescent moon sets. The Perseids produce an average of 100 meteors an hour as Earth passes through the debis of comet Swift-Tuttle that last came through our solar system in 1992 and will not return for 123 years! The meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus rising in the north about 9pm. I find it best to view in the opposite direction of the radiant point or whichever part of the sky is darkest. Grab some friends, a reclining chair, blankets and snacks and head away from city light pollution to enjoy the beautiful celestial show. Wishing everyone clear skies!

Perseid meteor shower 2024: when, where and how to see it The Perseid meteor shower is one of the best shooting star displays of the year.

Jana hosts public and private star parties with informative presentations of the night sky with an 8-inch Celestron telescope featuring high definition optics!

Guests will see a variety of celestial wonders, including planets and the Moon, if visible, star clusters, binary star systems, a carbon star as well as deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies that are millions of light years away! Learn how to identify the visible constellations. Binoculars will be provided for your own space exploration!

After viewing the wonders of the universe, you will have the opportunity to hold a piece of space in your own hand! Jana is an experienced meteorite hunter and will provide a variety of meteorites to give a hands-on experience and enhance learning! Jana will assist will simple cell phone astrophotography so you can take a memory home with you!

Contact Jana for more info and to book a star party. Jana will bring her telescope and the universe to you! Available for small private gatherings or larger celebrations such as birthdays, weddings and graduation events.