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Emil Buehler Observatory Public Viewing Nights – Spring 2026
*Weather Permitting – A Public Viewing Night will be cancelled in the event of rain or clouds. For more details, please email Sean McLearie at [email protected].*
March 2026 (7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.)
6th Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Almach (double star), Pleiades (M45), Andromeda Galaxy (M31), Orion Nebula (M42), Beehive Cluster (M44), Double Cluster (NGC 869 & 884)
27th Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Almach (double star), Pleiades (M45), Andromeda Galaxy (M31), Orion Nebula (M42), Beehive Cluster (M44), Double Cluster (NGC 869 & 884)
April 2026 (7:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.)
10th Venus, Open Cluster (M35), Globular Cluster (M13), Mizar (double star), Beehive Cluster (M44)
17th Venus, Globular Cluster (M13), Mizar (double star), Beehive Cluster (M44)
24th Moon, Venus, Globular Cluster (M13), Mizar (double star), Beehive Cluster (M44)
May 2026 (8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.)
1st Moon, Venus, Mizar (double star), Globular Cluster (M13), Ring Nebula (M57), Albireo (double star, M81)
8th Venus, Mizar (double star), Globular Cluster (M13), Ring Nebula (M57), Albireo (double star, M81)
15th Venus, Mizar (double star), Globular Cluster (M13), Ring Nebula (M57), Albireo (double star, M81)
22nd Moon, Venus, Mizar (double star), Globular Cluster (M13), Ring Nebula (M57), Albireo (double star, M81)
29th Moon, Venus, Mizar (double star), Globular Cluster (M13), Ring Nebula (M57), Albireo (double star, M81)
Key:
M31- The Andromeda Galaxy
M13- A globular cluster in Hercules
M57- Ring Nebula in Lyra
NGC457- An open cluster in Cassiopeia
NGC869 & NGC884 Double cluster in Cassiopeia
M42- The Orion Nebula is one of the brightest nebulae and the closest region of massive star formation to Earth.
M45- The Pleiades is an open cluster in Taurus and the cluster most obvious to the naked eye.
Mizar & Alcor- Visual binary in Ursa Major. Mizar is a quadruple star system and Alcor is a binary (A sextuple system)
Arcturus- A Bright, orange star
Vega- A bright, blue-white star
Sirius- A bright white star, the brightest in the sky at a distance of 8 light years.
Almach- Quadruple star system including a bright, orange star and a dimmer, blue star (actually 3 stars)
A question mark after an object we have listed means that it is becoming very difficult to see because it is near the horizon and/or at the limit the telescope can resolve it (see it clearly.)
The list of objects mentioned for each date may be modified due to viewing conditions.
Just as our eyes cannot see through clouds, our optical telescope cannot either. We make every effort to stay open, but nature sometimes has different plans for the night sky. Please check the sky conditions before you travel to visit us.