Barstow, CA – Barstow Community College (BCC) will be hosting a telescope viewing of the planet Saturn and its brightest moons on Thursday, September 29th, starting at 7:00 p.m.. BCC’s Astronomy Professor Scott Bulkley will give a narration, and students from his Observational Astronomy course will also be on hand to answer questions.
Professor Bulkley stated, “Due to timing issues in the past, and the current unusual celestial positioning, this is actually the very first time since we opened the Observatory six years ago, that we have ever been able to offer views of Saturn to the Barstow community.” Professor Bulkley continued, “We are excited about this opportunity to observe what many consider to be the most beautiful planet in the Solar System. This is really a great time to view Saturn as its wonderous rings are now tilted open almost as much as they possibly can be.”
The viewing will take place in the BCC observatory which houses a 16" Schmidt-Cassegrain Reflector Telescope on a permanent Equatorial mount. The College Observatory is located on Veterans Parkway behind the College campus. Parking is available on Veterans Parkway. The public is invited free of charge to see the solar system's ringed planet and its largest moons – including Titan, which has an Earth-like atmosphere, and may support primitive life. Weather permitting; all participants will have an opportunity to look through the telescope to see this astronomical sight.
People are urged to dress warmly since this is an outdoor event that will run from 7:00 p.m. until about 9:00 p.m. For additional information, contact Professor Bulkley at 760-252-2411, ext. 7301
Barstow Community College is an accredited, open access institution of higher learning committed to providing our students, community, and military population with the educational tools needed to achieve personal goals and professional growth. To learn more about the college and the services provided to the community of Barstow, please visit our website: www.barstow.edu
