telescope

By Evan Dunn 

There are a ton of ways you can connect with NASA—from taking spacey selfies to helping scientists search for black holes—and all you need to get started is an Internet connection!  

Not really into selfies? You’ll definitely start snapping breathtaking selfies by using the Spacecraft 3D augmented reality app! Select the target image and take your photo with the spacecraft of your choice. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/apps/

By Dr. Lisa Will

Get ready! During the afternoon of Thursday, October 23, a partial solar eclipse will be visible from San Diego. Less than 50% of the Sun will be covered from our viewpoint in San Diego, but the quality of light outside should be noticeably different.

Eclipse Viewing Information by Dr. Lisa Will, the Fleet's resident Astronomer

Night owl alert! We San Diegans should have a spectacular view of tonight's lunar eclipse if the clouds/marine layer stay away. The full moon will start passing into the darkest part of the Earth's shadow around 11 p.m. tonight. The total eclipse will begin around midnight and last until 1:30 a.m. The moon will fall completely out of the Earth's shadow around 3 a.m.

By Dr. Lisa Will, Fleet Astronomer

Comet ISON is getting brighter in the sky, and it should hopefully become visible to the naked eye soon. If you want to know where to locate it in the sky or learn more about Comet ISON, some useful resources are listed below. 

Plus, the Fleet is hosting a Coffee & Comets event on Tuesday, November 26, early in the morning (because the comet can be viewed before sunrise). Visit our Events page for more information.

One of the greatest thrills for a beginning backyard astronomer is to view the heavens through a telescope. Because there are a number of astronomy clubs and professional observatories in San Diego and Southern California, many opportunities exist for the public to explore the cosmos in this way.