Visitors frequently ask "When can I see X". While many thousands of individual objects are visible throughout the year, most people want more general answers (e.g. When Can I see Andromeda {our nearest galaxy}) or are asking about the planets.
The following table is broken into lunations which agrees with how we schedule programs.
The table shows for each program which planets are visible. It also shows what kind of dark sky objects can be seen. These are described in more detail below
Weeks marked "new'ish" will start with a less than 33% moon. Deep Sky objects are more likely visible than on 1st quarter nights.
First Quarter nights are marked with the dark sky column blackened. The bright moon will affect what we can show.
Galaxies will likely not be visible. You should expect to see only brighter star clusters with decreased contrast. We may use filters to observe some nebulae, but they will lose their details. In the worst case scenario, where there is a lot of moisture in the sky, we may only be able to see double stars.
On these nights, we are less strict about the use of lights, and enough moonlight is usually present to cast shadows. If you have any concerns about your night vision, please visit us on a first-quarter night. All other nights are considered dark nights as described in tips
| Date | Moon Phase | dark sky | Planets | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14 | 3rd | galaxies, Orion nebula | Jupiter, Uranus | Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) |
| Mar 21 | newish | galaxies, Orion nebula | Jupiter, Uranus, moon | Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) |
| Apr 11 | 3rd | galaxies, Orion nebula | Jupiter, Uranus, Venus | |
| Apr 18 | newish | galaxies | Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, moon | |
| Apr 25 | 1st | moon, Jupiter, Venus | ||
| May 9 | 3rd | galaxies, globular clusters | Jupiter, Venus | |
| May 16 | new | galaxies, globular clusters | Jupiter, Venus | |
| May 23 | 1st | moon, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury | ||
| June 13 | new | galaxies, globular clusters, Milky Way(late) | Jupiter, Venus, Mercury | |
| June 20 | 1st | moon, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury | ||
| July 4 | 3rd | globular clusters, Milky Way | Venus, Jupiter(early), moon (late) | |
| July 11 | new | globular clusters, Milky Way | Venus | |
| July 18 | 1st | moon | ||
| Aug 8 | 3rd | globular clusters, Milky Way | ||
| Aug 15 | new | globular clusters, Milky Way | ||
| Sept 5 | 3rd | globular clusters, Milky Way | Neptune, Saturn | |
| Sept 12 | Closed for Special Event | |||
| Sept 19 | 1st | moon, Neptune, Saturn | ||
| Oct 3 | 3rd | Milky Way, Andromeda | Neptune, Saturn | |
| Oct 10 | new | Andromeda, globular clusters, fall galaxies | Neptune, Saturn | |
| Oct 17 | 1st | moon |
Rather than listing each visible object we have chosen to identify some generic objects. Most of the objects viewed will be from the Messier list.
FPOA has returned in in person lectures. As a supplement to our lecture we also present safety and information on how best to make use of the telescopes. The supplement will vary depending on what is up in the sky, but you can see the various lectures here.
Be sure to also watch our Video Tour as that contains some important safety information.
One would think easy - just look in the eyepiece; however, experienced visual observers such as those in our programs know that you need to be aware of some tricks as shown in this short video
Getting the most out of your viewing of Deep Sky Objects requires working around the limitations of your eyes. This short video will teach you some tricks.