Ben Eisenstein
Many residents of San Manuel turned their eyes to the night sky on April 23 as the San Manuel Community Center hosted a star party organized by the SaddleBrooke Skygazers and the SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) Astronomy Club.
As part of a joint outreach effort, the two astronomy clubs brought telescopes, star charts, and plenty of enthusiasm to share the wonders of the universe with the Copper Corridor community. Attendees of all ages had the chance to view planets, star clusters, and even distant galaxies through high-powered telescopes set up on the community center grounds. Many had never looked through a telescope before!
Volunteers from both clubs guided participants through the constellations, answered questions about space, and pointed out celestial highlights including Jupiter, the Orion Nebula, and the Beehive Cluster. Clear skies and mild weather made for ideal viewing conditions throughout the evening.
June Star Parties
Residents of both communities can attend star parties coming up in June. The SaddleBrooke Ranch Astronomy Club will be hosting a star party at the SBR Community Gardens parking lot on Tuesday, June 3, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The SaddleBrooke Skygazers will be hosting a star party at the SaddleBrooke Softball Field parking lot on Thursday, June 5, from 8 to 9:30 p.m.