Observatory Schedule of Events for 2017 (text version - the PDF version has considerably more information. If possible, we recommend you download and print that one instead) March 18 – 7:45pm See Orion Nebula with 16” observatory telescope, one of the most spectacular celestial objects. We’ll also view Pleiades through wide field telescope. ACA member will take you on a Sky Tour of Winter Constellations. March 25 – 8:00pm Special Event: Messier Marathon – stay all night to observe all 110 Messier objects with ACA members. Best Free Coffee in Akron will be brewing all night. April 1 – 8:00pm We’ll observe a 5 day old Moon and open star clusters of Winter & Spring Constellations including M37, M41, M67, & the Beehive Cluster. April 22 – 8:30pm Galaxy Night: Come out tonight to observe Bode’s Galaxy, Cigar Galaxy, M106, M108, & M87 which hosts a 6 billion solar mass black hole. May 20 – 7:45pm Telescope Seminar: Our members will describe advantages & disadvantages of each type of telescope. Observing session to follow. May 27 – 9:00pm Jupiter is well placed for viewing. See Jupiter’s equatorial belts, the Galilean Moons orbiting the planet, and possibly some festoons on Jupiter’s surface. June 17 – 9:00pm The Great Hercules Cluster is near zenith at star party time. This is perhaps the best globular cluster for northern hemisphere observers. June 24 – 8:45pm Presentation: Asteroids – in celebration of Asteroid Day Observing Session to follow – globular clusters July 15 – 8:45pm Presentation: Mount Wilson Observatory Slide Show Tour – followed by observing session: Ring Nebula and globular cluster M92 are near zenith and Saturn is well placed for observing this evening. July 22 – 9:00pm Saturn observing this evening and an ACA member will take you on a Sky Tour of Summer Constellations. August 19– 8:30pm Open Clusters of the Summer Constellations including M11, NGC 6633, M23, M39, and M26 star cloud. August 26 – 8:00pm Presentation: Star Maps – followed by observing session: The constellation Sagittarius is filled with Messier Objects and we’ll try to find all of them tonight! September 16 – 8:00pm Planetary Nebulae Night: Ring Nebula, Cat’s Eye Nebula, Blue Snowball, Blue Flash Nebula, & Blinking Nebula. September 23 – 7:45pm Classical Musical Night: Listen to the best musical selections of Mozart, Bach, & Vivaldi by which to gaze at the stars. October 14 – 6:45pm Presentation: Anthropic Principle – followed by observing session: Autumn Sky Tour and observing Herschel’s Double Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, and globular cluster M15. October 21 – 7:00pm Double Star Observing this evening including some double stars that can be resolved with binoculars – observing list includes : 61 Cyg, Albireo, and many more!