Fremont Peak Observatory Association

 

Good turnout
Good Turnout 2010 Star-B-Q, 2 Grand Prize Winnders
2 Grand Prize Winners

Big Success! - 25th Annual Fremont Peak Star-B-Que Potluck Picnic, Super Star Party, and Annual Meeting
Saturday, July 17, 2010


The first annual Star-B-Q event goes back to 1986 - the summer the observatory was built. It started as a way to thank all the people who were involved in the founding of the FPOA - including other astronomical associations like AANC - the many individuals who came to the Peak with hammers in hand anxious to drive a few nails and put up a wall, nail down some sheeting, roofing, cedar shingles on exterior walls, sheetrock on interior walls and the list goes on. The Star-B-Q event is still about thanking all the people who help keep things running.

This year, it still included co-sponsorship with . In this year's raffle, the raffle was conducted again by Sam Sweiss, of , and two very nice telescopes were donated by and with many other wonderful prizes donated by our generous Sponsors .

Click here for the 2010 Star-B-Q Photo Album. More images are being loaded as they come in. Watch for more updates, information, pictures. If you have pictures, please let us know and we'll include them in the album.

Click here for more information about the 25th Annual Fremont Peak Star-B-Que and Annual Meeting.

2010 Public Programs

Evening:
Presentation: 8:00p or 8:30p.
Viewing: Sunset to 12m

   8:00 - Mar  13, 20
   8:00 - Apr  10,17
   8:30 - May  8, 15
   8:30 - Jun  5, 12, 19
   8:30 - Jul  3, 10, 17, 31
   8:30 - Aug 7, 14
   8:00 - Sep  4, 11
   8:00 - Oct 2, 9, 16
Solar (12noon - 3p):
   Mar 20, Apr 17, May 8
   Jun 19, Jul 17, Aug 14
   Sep 11, Oct 2
Star-B-Que 7/17
Memb Appr Nite 8/14

Times vary due to weather and availability.

More Schedule Details...

FPOA Observatory - Public Night Fremont Peak Observatory star party (courtesy Rob Hawley)

Challenger Telescope
FPOA members adjusting
the optics of the 30" "Challenger" telescope

Advection Fog
Morning fog seen from the observatory.


About FPOA

Fremont Peak Observatory Association volunteers spread the word about the wonder of the night sky, educate the public through presentations and observing sessions, and provide quality observatory facilities.

FPOA is a favorite destination of families as well as school, scout and church groups. Each year over 2,000 members of the public are treated to a personalized multimedia presentation by an FPOA astronomer as the Saturday evening sun sets over the Pacific. As darkness falls and the stars emerge, they gaze in wonder at night sky splendors through the eyepiece of the 30" diameter "Challenger" Newtonian telescope and a variety of sophisticated amateur telescopes before returning to their campsites or homes. If you have never seen the the Milky Way under dark skies away from city light pollution, come visit us to see why astronomers have been traveling to Fremont Peak State Park for decades.

As part of our mission, we collaborate with schools in the Monterey Bay, Hollister, and San Francisco Bay area to tailor a rich educational experience for K-12 and college students, both through field trips to Fremont Peak, and classroom presentations. We also provide information for School Teachers  on ways to supplement their curriculum with local astronomy-related resources.  FPOA provides Salinas-based Hartnell College students internship opportunities as part of their Science/Math Summer Internship Program.  You can read about the 2008 program here.

Besides the public and educators, FPOA serves professional and serious amateur astronomers, philanthropists, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation.  Here is more information on our business model and values.

Fremont Peak Observatory opened in 1986, and has operated every summer since, despite having battled the frequently brutal weather on the 3,000 foot peak. Devoted volunteer astronomers continue to maintain the observatory and "Challenger" telescope, contributing time, energy, and money, to keep Fremont Peak Observatory one of the finest amateur-operated astronomy centers in the United States.

The Observatory is open to the public for scheduled viewing and educational programs from April through October on Saturday evenings that don't conflict with a full moon. 

Join FPOA now

Donate


Contact Fremont Peak Observatory

Recorded Message: 831-623-2465
Email: info at fpoa dot net
Mailing Address:
PO Box 1376
San Juan Bautista, California 95045
831-623-2465

Typical hours of operation
(Varies depending on weather and availability)
6 PM to midnight on public program days.
Noon to midnight on days of solar programs.
At other times leave a message on our answering machine.

Latitude and Longitude:
36.7602° N 121.4987° W
36° 45.614' N 121° 29.922' W
36° 45' 36.8" N 121° 29' 55.4" W

Testimonials from some of our fans...
Class Thank-You Note


Other Contacts


Fremont Peak State Park:
831-623-4255 or Web Site
Camping Reservations (Primitive):
     $15 peak, $11 non-peak.
800-444-7275 or ReserveAmerica
Class Thanks-You Note

Information for Visitors

Information for Astronomers

Weather Resources for Fremont Peak


Copyright © 2009 Fremont Peak Observatory Association
Last updated: 04/13/2010
Web site by Doug Brown