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Veil nebula. Photo courtesy of Gary Salisbury.
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Astronomy is most enjoyable when it is shared. We offer a number of options for you to visit with us and learn from us. The ORAS Events and Outreach program brings ORAS members and their knowledge of astronomy together with astronomy enthusiasts from the community.
Star Parties at ORALC
Enjoy an evening under the stars at one of our scheduled star parties at ORALC -- the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center. See our About Events page for information about our star parties.
ORAS meetings
ORAS members meet throughout the year to enjoy presentations and discussions on astronomy. You are welcome to be our guest at these meetings. Our presenters cover a wide variety of topics that may include observing techniques, optical equipment, telescope making, astrotourism, and current events in astronomy. If you are just beginning your study of astronomy, these meetings are a great opportunity to learn from our members and presenters.
AstroBlast at ORALC |
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AstroBlast at ORALC is our premier annual event. It features dark-sky observing, technical presentations from amateur and professional astronomers, and family fun. See our About AstroBlast page for a description of the usual event.
2023 Calendar of Events
January 2023
January 4: Quadrantid meteor shower peak
January 6: Full Moon
January 10: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
January 21: New Moon
January 21: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Virtual)
January 22: Venus-Saturn Conjunction
January 23: Moon-Saturn & Moon-Venus conjunctions
January 26: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
January 26: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
January 30: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
January 31: Lunar occultation of Mars
February 2023
February 1: Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) reaches its brightest
February 5: Full Moon
February 15: Venus-Neptune conjunction
February 20: New Moon
February 22: Moon-Venus conjunction
February 23: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
February 23: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
February 25: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Virtual)
February 27: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
February 22: Lunar occultation of Jupiter
March 2023
March 2: Venus-Jupiter conjunction
March 7: Full Moon
March 14: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
March 20: March equinox
March 21: New Moon
March 23: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
March 23: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM (Cancelled)
March 24: Lunar occultation of Venus
March 25: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Virtual)
March 27: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
March 28: Moon-Mars conjunction
April 2023
April 6: Full Moon
April 16: Moon-Saturn conjunction
April 20: New Moon
April 20: Hybrid solar eclipse
April 21: Moon-Mercury conjunction
April 22: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Big Astronomy Event) + Observing if clear
April 23: Lyrid meteor shower peak
April 23: Moon-Venus conjunction
April 24: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
April 26: Moon-Mars conjunction
April 27: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
April 27: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
May 2023
May 5: Full Moon
May 5: Penumbral lunar eclipse
May 9: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
May 13: Moon-Saturn conjunction
May 17: Lunar occultation of Jupiter
May 19: New Moon
May 19 -21: Members Only Weekend
May 23: Moon-Venus conjunction
May 25: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
May 25: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
May 27: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
May 29: Mercury at greatest western elongation
May 29: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
June 2023
June 4: Full Moon
June 14: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
June 16: Moon-Mercury conjunction
June 18: New Moon
June 21: June solstice
June 22: Moon-Venus conjunction
June 22: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
June 22: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
June 23 – 25: Members Only Weekend
June 24: Public Night 8:00 – 9:00 PM + Observing if clear
June 26: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
July 2023
July 3: Super Full Moon
July 11: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
July 11: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
July 14 – 16: Members Only Weekend
July 17: New Moon
July 20: Moon-Venus conjunction
July 22: Public Night 8:00 – 9:00 PM + Observing if clear
July 27: Venus-Mercury conjunction
July 27: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
July 27: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
July 30: Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peak
July 31: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
August 2023
August 1: Super Full Moon
August 13: Perseid meteor shower peak
August 15 – 20: ASTROBLAST 2023
August 16: New Moon
August 27: Saturn at opposition
August 24: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
August 24: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
August 26: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
August 28: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
August 30: Moon-Saturn conjunction
August 31: Super Blue Full Moon
September 2023
September 4: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
September 12: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
September 15: New Moon
September 19: Neptune at opposition
September 22-24: Members Only Weekend
September 23: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
September 23: September equinox
September 25: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
September 27: Moon-Saturn conjunction
September 28: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
September 28: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
September 29: Super Full Moon
October 2023
October 2: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
October 9: Draconid meteor shower peak
October 14: New Moon
October 14: Annular solar eclipse
October 22: Orionid meteor shower peak
October 24: Moon-Saturn conjunction
October 26: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
October26: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
October 28: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
October 28: Full Moon
October 28: Partial lunar eclipse
October 30: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
November 2023
November 3: Jupiter at opposition
November 9: Lunar occultation of Venus
November 13: New Moon
November 14: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
November 14: Uranus at opposition
November 18: Leonid meteor shower peak
November 25: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
November 27: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
November 27: Full Moon
November 30: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
November 30: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
December 2023
December 12: New Moon
December 14: Geminid meteor shower peak
December 18: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
December 22: December solstice
December 22: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
December 23: Ursid meteor shower peak
December 27: Full Moon
December 28: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
December 28: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
January 4: Quadrantid meteor shower peak
January 6: Full Moon
January 10: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
January 21: New Moon
January 21: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Virtual)
January 22: Venus-Saturn Conjunction
January 23: Moon-Saturn & Moon-Venus conjunctions
January 26: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
January 26: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
January 30: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
January 31: Lunar occultation of Mars
February 2023
February 1: Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) reaches its brightest
February 5: Full Moon
February 15: Venus-Neptune conjunction
February 20: New Moon
February 22: Moon-Venus conjunction
February 23: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
February 23: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
February 25: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Virtual)
February 27: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
February 22: Lunar occultation of Jupiter
March 2023
March 2: Venus-Jupiter conjunction
March 7: Full Moon
March 14: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
March 20: March equinox
March 21: New Moon
March 23: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
March 23: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM (Cancelled)
March 24: Lunar occultation of Venus
March 25: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Virtual)
March 27: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
March 28: Moon-Mars conjunction
April 2023
April 6: Full Moon
April 16: Moon-Saturn conjunction
April 20: New Moon
April 20: Hybrid solar eclipse
April 21: Moon-Mercury conjunction
April 22: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM (Big Astronomy Event) + Observing if clear
April 23: Lyrid meteor shower peak
April 23: Moon-Venus conjunction
April 24: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
April 26: Moon-Mars conjunction
April 27: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
April 27: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
May 2023
May 5: Full Moon
May 5: Penumbral lunar eclipse
May 9: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
May 13: Moon-Saturn conjunction
May 17: Lunar occultation of Jupiter
May 19: New Moon
May 19 -21: Members Only Weekend
May 23: Moon-Venus conjunction
May 25: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
May 25: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
May 27: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
May 29: Mercury at greatest western elongation
May 29: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
June 2023
June 4: Full Moon
June 14: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
June 16: Moon-Mercury conjunction
June 18: New Moon
June 21: June solstice
June 22: Moon-Venus conjunction
June 22: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
June 22: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
June 23 – 25: Members Only Weekend
June 24: Public Night 8:00 – 9:00 PM + Observing if clear
June 26: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
July 2023
July 3: Super Full Moon
July 11: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
July 11: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
July 14 – 16: Members Only Weekend
July 17: New Moon
July 20: Moon-Venus conjunction
July 22: Public Night 8:00 – 9:00 PM + Observing if clear
July 27: Venus-Mercury conjunction
July 27: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
July 27: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
July 30: Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peak
July 31: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
August 2023
August 1: Super Full Moon
August 13: Perseid meteor shower peak
August 15 – 20: ASTROBLAST 2023
August 16: New Moon
August 27: Saturn at opposition
August 24: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
August 24: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
August 26: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
August 28: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
August 30: Moon-Saturn conjunction
August 31: Super Blue Full Moon
September 2023
September 4: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
September 12: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
September 15: New Moon
September 19: Neptune at opposition
September 22-24: Members Only Weekend
September 23: Public Night 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
September 23: September equinox
September 25: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
September 27: Moon-Saturn conjunction
September 28: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
September 28: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
September 29: Super Full Moon
October 2023
October 2: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
October 9: Draconid meteor shower peak
October 14: New Moon
October 14: Annular solar eclipse
October 22: Orionid meteor shower peak
October 24: Moon-Saturn conjunction
October 26: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
October26: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
October 28: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
October 28: Full Moon
October 28: Partial lunar eclipse
October 30: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
November 2023
November 3: Jupiter at opposition
November 9: Lunar occultation of Venus
November 13: New Moon
November 14: ORAS Board Meeting, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
November 14: Uranus at opposition
November 18: Leonid meteor shower peak
November 25: Public Night, 7:00 – 8:00 PM + Observing if clear
November 27: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
November 27: Full Moon
November 30: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
November 30: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
December 2023
December 12: New Moon
December 14: Geminid meteor shower peak
December 18: Fund Development Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
December 22: December solstice
December 22: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
December 23: Ursid meteor shower peak
December 27: Full Moon
December 28: Education/Outreach Committee Meeting, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
December 28: Observatory/Facilities Committee Meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
ORAS Speaker Series for
March 25, 2023: “Optical Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence"
Credits: NASA Ames/SETI Institute/JPL-Caltech
Please join us on Saturday, March 25, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, for a virtual Public Night with ORAS, including a presentation by Mr. Bruce Howard. It's entitled "Optical Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence."
Who can attend? Anyone who is interested in learning more about ORAS and astronomy-related topics may attend. We strongly encourage members of the general public and educators and students from surrounding schools to participate. Public nights are FREE and open to all. If you have a computer, tablet, or smart phone and Internet access, you are ready to go! In an effort to prevent spamming, those interested in participating must register in advance. A link to the virtual event will then be e-mailed to you separately.
How can I register? It's simple to register. To register, simply CLICK on the following link, or paste it into your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OrasPublic
You will receive a link to the event by e-mail, a day or two beforehand.
Public Night Schedule, Saturday, March 25
6:50-7:00 PM: Tech-check
7:00-7:10: ORAS News and updates
7:10 PM to 8:00 PM: Education Program: Optical Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
About the Presenter: Mr. Bruce Howard is a retired design engineer and software developer who spent 43 years at the Westinghouse Research and Development Lab in Pittsburgh. He has been an amateur astronomer and telescope builder for 40 years. Currently living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Bruce has recently built a new observatory that houses a 24-inch telescope and a suite of instruments for his optical SETI program.
Cancellation policy
ORAS reserves the right to cancel events and outreach programs due to inclement weather, due to health or safety issues, or due to other unforeseen circumstances. Please monitor our social media posts for cancellation notices.
Previous public night presentations
February 25, 2023: Mr. Dean Miskovich, "Stars."
January 21, 2023: Mr. Larry McHenry, "Solar Observing -- An Introduction to Solar Features and Observing Techniques."
October 15, 2022: Dr. Susan Prezzano, "Recent Discoveries in Archaeoastronomy."
September 17, 2022: Mr. Dean Miskovich, "Things you may not Know about the Gas Giants."
July 9, 2022: Dr. Arthur Kosowsky, "Searching for Planet Nine."
June 25, 2022: Mr. Larry McHenry, "Stargazing and Myths: An Introduction to the Constellations and Seasonal Night-Sky Mythology."
May 7, 2022: Mr. Gary Purinton, "Lunar and Solar Eclipses."
April 16, 2022: Dr. Kelly Lepo, "What to Expect from the James Webb Space Telescope's First Images."
March 19, 2022: Mr. Lou Coban, "High-altitude Ballooning for Solar Eclipses."
November 20, 2021: Mr. Gary Salisbury, "Astrophotography Image Processing."
October 16, 2021: Mr. Larry McHenry, “Comet Tales.”
September 18, 2021: Dr. Tim Spuck, “The Oil Region Astronomical Society: Building an Exciting Future for Generations to Come.”
August 21, 2021: Ms. Emily Lehnardt, “Astronomy for Kids under Age 12.”
July 17, 2021: Mr. Ed Ting, “Astrophotography: Taking the Next Step.”
June 19, 202: Mr. Ed Ting, “An Introduction to Astrophotography.”
May 15, 2021: Mr. Derek Demeter, “Solving the Mysteries of the Universe, One Puzzle Piece at a Time.”
April 17, 2021: Mr. Dean Salisbury, “Looking Up: Astrophotography and Nightscapes using your Digital Camera.”
March 20, 2021: Mr. Jim O’Leary, “Art and the Cosmos.”
February 20, 2021: Ms. Luci Finucan, “Green Bank Observatory Virtual Tour.”
September 26, 2020: Mr. Tom Field, “Astronomical Spectra."