This event includes a Pizza & Social Hour (5:30-6:30 PM) for CCAS Members!
For the General Public: Event starts at 7pm and Reservations are Required.
Click to reserve your spot with the Botanical Gardens!
For CCAS Members: You do NOT need a ticket to attend this event if you are volunteering to help! AND please join us for the Pizza & Social Hour just before the event starts! Since our April club meeting is cancelled due to the overlapping NASA PUNCH Mission talk with Dr. Gibson at Cal Poly, we wanted to have an opportunity for our members to connect, so this is it! To join, simply sign up so we know how many pizzas to order and we’ll also waive your day-use fee for El Chorro by placing your name on the Park Ranger’s official list. Sign up to volunteer!
March’s theme is Deep Space Objects!
Explore the night sky with telescopes and guided viewing hosted by the Central Coast Astronomy Society. We’ll take a close-up look at open star clusters like the Pleiades and the Beehive, multiple star clusters in Gemini, galaxies in Leo and Ursa Major, Jupiter’s cloud bands and moons, and deep-sky objects including Orion’s beautiful M42 Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy. Whether you’re new to astronomy or a seasoned skywatcher, this is a fun and welcoming event for all ages.
Address: 3450 Dairy Creek Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
Arriving at the park: We highly recommend that you arrive before start time, to allow for time to check out the telescopes, talk with astronomers, and find a good seat for the star show.
CCAS Club Members! If you’d like to help with this event, even if you don’t have a telescope, please email Aurora directly for details. (Hint – if you’re helping with the event, you don’t need to reserve a spot.)
Event Details: The evening begins with a live astronomy presentation, where we will take you on a guided tour of the night sky and preview the objects we will be observing. After, we head outside to the telescope area for hands-on viewing, with stargazing continuing until 9pm. Our friendly astronomers will bring telescopes, you may bring binoculars and your sense of wonder.
Because the star tour sets the stage for the whole experience, we strongly encourage guests to arrive on time. The presentation helps you know what to look for and makes the telescope viewing far more meaningful. Tickets are required for this event, and space is limited. This program is rain or shine. Even if clouds roll in, we will have engaging indoor activities, demonstrations, and astronomy exploration for all ages. Whether the skies are clear or not, you will learn something new and enjoy an evening immersed in the wonders of the universe.
General Public: Reservations Required – Click to reserve your spot with the Botanical Gardens!
Star Party Etiquette and Guidelines
- No white lights after dark. Please use only the minimum red light.
- No alcoholic beverages, smoking, or vaping at stargazing activities.
- To maintain a safe observing environment, no small children (0-6 yrs) or pets allowed.
- Wear good shoes, we’ll be walking around in low light near expensive equipment.
- Do not bring laser pointers if you’re not operating a telescope. Prolonged use of lasers for pointing at objects in the sky is bad star party etiquette and detracts from the enjoyment of the night sky by others.