Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Explore with Wine Country Stargazing
What You Can Expect to See
With Wine Country Stargazing we offer you a custom astronomy experience. Your tour includes an overview of the constellations in the night sky led by a night sky expert using a high power laser pointer. We’ll tell you stories about how the ancient civilizations named the constellations and how they are used today.
We give you an up close view of several celestial objects through our large telescope. Our team is very knowledgeable and will provide you with an educational and entertaining experience.
We operate our tours throughout the year so for your comfort, we recommend bringing chairs, blankets and seasonal jackets so you can lean back and enjoy the expanse of the star filled sky.
Public viewing sessions are limited to a group size of six guests to ensure hands-on time with the 10 inch Dobsonian telescope. This telescope is easy to use for beginners and experts alike and will allow guests a true hands-on experience.
As a unique addition to traditional stargazing tours Wine Country Stargazing will introduce guests to the concept of astrophotography - capturing the beauty of the night sky in digital photographs. By using an electronically assisted telescope we will view objects too faint to be seen visually and learn how the great telescopic cameras like James Webb and Hubble create their stunning images. Guests will be given the opportunity to select from a range of targets to view and even obtain a copy of the processed image.
We regularly view the following types and classes of objects: Star Clusters, Planets, Galaxies, Double Stars, Shooting Stars, Earth’s Moon, Satellite Passes, Space Station Passes, Red Super Giant Stars, Planetary Nebula and more. Time and conditions permitting we will attempt to slew the telescope to meet guest requests.
Discover the Wonders of the Night Sky
The Moon
Comets and Asteroids
The Moon
Earth's largest satellite follows a 29 1/2 day cycle in it's orbit and is certainly the most well known Celestial target visible during both the day and night. You will be surprised to see how much detail is visible through the telescope.
Jupiter
Comets and Asteroids
The Moon
Jupiter is the 5th planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. Jupiter is named after the Chief Roman god Jupiter, equated to the Greek god Zeus. Jupiter is a large gas giant with a volume 1,321 times that of Earth and a mass 321 times greater.
Comets and Asteroids
Comets and Asteroids
Nebulae: Orion Nebula (M42)
Getting away from the city lights will almost guarantee you the chance to see one or more shooting stars (meteors) as they burn up in the atmosphere. Depending on conditions and timing the much larger comets may be visible. (image of slow moving comet taken from Joshua Tree NP)
Nebulae: Orion Nebula (M42)
Star Clusters: Hercules Cluster (M13)
Nebulae: Orion Nebula (M42)
The stunning Orion Nebula is visible for much of the year but is best viewed after sunset during Winter and Spring. This enormous gas-rich star forming region lies approximately 1,344 light years away. The Orion Nebula is one of the most viewed and imaged objects in the night sky - when you see it through the telescope you'll understand why.
Galaxies: Andromeda Galaxy (M31)
Star Clusters: Hercules Cluster (M13)
Star Clusters: Hercules Cluster (M13)
As our closest, large galactic neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy is the most distant object consistently visible in the night sky. The light from Andromeda travels for 2.5 million years before reaching Earth...it is truly out of this galaxy!
Star Clusters: Hercules Cluster (M13)
Star Clusters: Hercules Cluster (M13)
Star Clusters: Hercules Cluster (M13)
Star clusters like the huge Hercules Cluster are common in the night sky and can make for an awe inspiring sight through a telescope. The pictured cluster is a tight globular cluster while others are more open in nature.
Sun
Sun
Sun
For groups that want a more custom experience daytime viewing of the Sun is also available with both a large and small telescope. As a word of caution - NEVER look at the Sun without proper eye protection.