Robert Ferguson Observatory

Would you like some help with your telescope? How about some advice on purchasing or upgrading equipment? We can help! https://www.simpletix.com/e/bring-your-own-telescope-ticket

Do you have a telescope at home that you just don’t use because you’re not sure how it works? Or, are you looking to purchase or upgrade a telescope but don’t know where to start? Then this class is for you! https://www.simpletix.com/e/bring-your-own-telescope-ticket

Not much longer until our next speaker series event. Get your free tickets by following the link below! https://www.simpletix.com/e/rfo-speaker-series-ligo%E2%80%9

We're excited to hold our first public event in over a year. Grab your friends and join us as we share our telescopes with you! https://www.simpletix.com/e/public-star-party-july-10-2021-

Are you good with naming things? The European Space Agency (ESA) needs you. They need a name for their new spacecraft. Its mission? To spot potentially hazardous solar storms before they reach Earth. https://www.esa.int/Safety_Security//Name_ESA_s_new_mission Image Credit: ESA

If you're interested in observing the Geminid Meteory Shower, here's a link to a good "How to" guide from NASA! https://blogs.nasa.gov//the-geminids-best-meteor-shower-o/

Conditions are excellent this year for the Geminid meteor shower! This is reliably one of the year's best meteor showers but not so well known due to its frigid wintry timing. Still, if the skies are clear it is well worth it for meteor lovers to bundle up, get under dark skies and enjoy the show. Rates of around 140 meteors per hour are common at the peak which is predicted for around sunset (RFO area) on 12/13. There may also be a second, earlier peak this year during the a.m. hours of 12/13. So the nights of both 12/12-13 and 12/13-14, from about 6:30pm to 5:30am, are good for meteor watching.

The Robert Ferguson Observatory is humbled by the generosity of friends and supporters who made a financial contribution to our small nonprofit in October due to the imminent fire threat we faced and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced us to shutter access to our telescopes last February. Fortunately, we successfully retrieved some valuable telescope parts and CALFire was onsite to protect our facility. We really appreciate all the support. Thank you! https://conta.cc/37pd4HX

Session 1 is nearly sold out... but fear not! Tickets are still available for session 2 at 8:30pm!

We've got a full calendar of outdoor event's this month and we can't wait to see you! https://rfo.org/index.php/calendar/

Join us under the stars this Friday at RFO! https://rfo.org/index.php/calendar/

Take a different approach and join us this Friday for one of two Night Sky Trails events! Our docents will be your guide to the heavens above. Tickets are required and are on sale now. https://rfo.org/

At the age of 43, Voyager 2 is still communicating with scientists!

Join us this Saturday for RFO's focus night: Mars. Tickets are required and are limited. https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4813417

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is open again with restrictions. RFO has several socially-distanced events scheduled for November. Keep an eye on our events section, or visit the RFO website for more details. https://rfo.org/

On Dec 21, 2020, Jupiter & Saturn slide within a tenth of a degree of each other. If your vision is no better than 20/100, the two planets will look as one. Clo...se encounters among celestial objects are conjunctions. Deborah Byrd & Bruce McClure say more: https://earthsky.org//great-jupiter-saturn-conjunction-dec

On this day in 1889, American Astronomer Edwin Hubble was born. Hubble played a crucial role in establishing the fields of extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology.

As 2020 slowly comes to an end, we're still hosting events at RFO. Check our events section or our home page for more information. https://rfo.org/index.php/calendar/

Robert Ferguson Observatory is offering its first ever virtual training! Come join this training via Zoom to become involved in volunteering for the observatory and help bring the mysteries of the universe to the public. The fall training dates include 10/29 11/5, 11/12, and 11/19, and run from 7:00pm 8:30pm. For more information contact Stephanie at [email protected], or fill out an application online at https://rfo.org/index.php/volunteer/. Robert Ferguson Observatory has offer...ed outreach-based astronomy and science programs to the public for almost 25 years. RFO is almost all-volunteer run and typically serves about 9,000 visitors annually. The observatory is located in Sugarloaf State Park and houses a 40-inch reflector telescope, the largest telescope in Northern California that is accessible to the public; a robotic 20-inch research-grade, CCD telescope; and an 8, two-meter long refractor telescope. See more

It's not too late to join us for tonight's event. Tickets are still available!

We wanted to share this update from Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Thank you to CAL FIRE and all the fire crews from around the area, including our local Kenwood Fire Protection Dist and Sonoma Valley Fire District. It is because of your hard work and dedication that the structures still stand at Sugarloaf and the fire did not advance to the south, protecting the Sonoma Valley.

The weather is looking good for later tonight. Tickets are still available for tonight's event!

Update: While Sugarloaf Ridge State Park continues to remain closed due to the Glass Fire, we are glad to report RFO is not in immediate danger. At this time all outdoor viewings at RFO have been canceled. Be sure to check back here and at rfo.org for regular updates.

Update: As of yesterday afternoon we were able to gain access to RFO and safely remove important gear, including the telescope mirrors of the 40 and the RC20 OTA. Thank you to the firefighters and firsts responders who have worked so hard cutting lines, set backfires, and continue to fend off the flames. As more updates come in, we'll be sure to share them with you here. In the meantime stay safe!

"Their work here in Kenwood, creating backfires to clear ground vegetation and plowing protective bulldozer lines from the facility to Bald Mountain, could potentially spare the largest observatory dedicated to public access on the West Coast and valuable telescopes still inside. Hopefully the lines hold and the work we’ve done will do its part, Cal Fire spokesman Erick Hernandez said." https://www.pressdemocrat.com//firefighters-build-defens/

Update 6:00am Wednesday, September 30: While the Glass fire continues to burn in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, RFO is not in immediate danger. Our thoughts go out to those who have been directly impacted by these fires. We will update this space as we learn more.