Star Gazing at ARO

Algonquin Radio Observatory is a haven for star gazers and astronomers of all types. While the main instruments operate at radio frequency, the observatory has exceptionally good observing conditions because of its location away from urban lighting. Astronomer-friendly exterior lighting is kept to a bare minimum in order to enhance viewing pleasure.

Count craters at a moon viewing party!

Gaze at the sky at ARO like you have never experienced it before. Guests may use the observatory's 8" Newtonian telescope to explore the heavens or bring your own equipment to capture stunning shots of planets and astronomic events. Enjoy the natural beauty of Algonquin Park while you set up your equipment by day and star gaze by night. Try one of our star-gazing party experiences.

Here is an excerpt from one guest’s observing log:

H M13, the globular cluster in Hercules, was very easy with the unaided eye and mag 6.3 stars were distinct using direct vision with stars of 7^th magnitude visible with averted vision.

The Milky Way, our home Galaxy was a bright neon white band always visible out of the corner of my eye no matter where I was looking.

The Merope Nebula in the Pleiades, M45, was not only visible but showed extended detail out past the chain of stars which is remarkable considering how low it was at 2 am.

The Helix Nebulae, our closest planetary nebulae, in Aquarius appeared like a giant version of M57, using an OIII filter showed a brilliant, bright smoke ring with annular detail I’ve only seen in photos.

I used my 5-inch refractor to hunt down IC1795 from the RASC Challenge Objects List; this object is listed as requiring at least 8-inches of aperture to see under a good sky.

Chris Beckett, Kitchener Waterloo RASC National Representative.

See Martian surface features (season permitting).