Observatory Schedule of Events for 2016 (text version) March 5, 2016 at 7:00pm See Orion Nebula with 16” observatory telescope, one of the most spectacular celestial objects. We’ll also view Pleiades through wide field telescope. An ACA member will take you on a Sky Tour of Winter Constellations. March 12, 2016 at 7:00pm Come out this evening to view intergalactic wanderer NGC 2419. This globular cluster is 304,000 light-years distant and near zenith tonight. April 2, 2016 at 8:00pm Special Event: Messier Marathon at stay all night to observe all 110 Messier objects with ACA members. Best Free Coffee in Akron will be brewing all night. April 9, 2016 at 8:15pm Galaxy Night: Come out tonight to observe Bode’s Galaxy, Cigar Galaxy, & Whirlpool Galaxy. We’ll try to observe elusive Mercury at sunset. April 30, 2016 at 8:30pm Jupiter is well placed for evening observing; view equatorial bands and Galilean Moons. Ghost of Jupiter also well placed. May 7, 2016 at 7:45pm Telescope Seminar: Our members will describe advantages & disadvantages of each type of telescope. Observing session to follow. May 28, 2016 at 9:00pm Observe most distant object within reach of the observatory telescope: Quasar 3C273 is 2.4 billion light-years away & receding from us at 16% the speed of light. June 4, 2016 at 9:00pm Mars reached opposition on May 22nd. Mars is closest to Earth at this point in its orbit and best for observing Martian surface features; however, well-placed in sky later in evening. June 25, 2016 at 9:00pm View Saturn, its moons Titan, Rhea, & Dione, and famous Cassini Division within ring system. Ring tilt is near maximum as seen from Earth: currently 26 degrees. July 9, 2016 at 9:00pm Come out to see a 5-day old Moon. This is one of the few star parties where we do lunar observing. See craters, mountains, rills, & seas on lunar landscape. July 30, 2016 at 9:00pm Tonight we’ll be observing double stars: optical doubles, visual doubles, and multiple star systems. ACA member will take you on a Sky Tour of Summer Constellations. August 27, 2016 at 7:45pm WOW! Spectacular conjunction of Venus & Jupiter with a separation of 0.06 degrees! Very Sweet! However, very low on horizon; we’ll try to observe early. September 3, 2016 at 7:45pm Presentation: Dark Energy & the Cosmological Constant: A Truly Repulsive Topic at globular cluster viewing to follow. September 24, 2016 at 7:45pm Planetary Nebulae Night: Ring Nebula, Cat’s Eye Nebula, Blue Snowball, Blue Flash Nebula, & Blinking Nebula. October 1, 2016 at 7:30pm Classical Musical Night: Listen to the best musical selections of Mozart, Bach, & Vivaldi by which to gaze at the stars. October 22, 2016 at 7:00pm Orionids Meteor Shower: We should see about 15 meteors per hour while stargazing at ET Cluster & Saturn Nebula. October 29, 2016 at 7:00pm View Andromeda Galaxy & Herschel’s Double Cluster. An ACA member will take you on an Autumn Sky Tour.