Emil Buehler Observatory Public Viewing Nights – Fall 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].*

 

September 2026 – (8:00 – 10:00 p.m.)

Friday, September 4 – Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, Mizar & Alcor, M31, M13, and M57.

Friday, September 11 – Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, Mizar & Alcor, M31, M13, and M57.

Friday, September 18 – Moon, Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, Mizar & Alcor, M31, M13, and M57.

 

October 2026 (7:30 – 10:00 p.m.)

Friday, October 9 – Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

Friday, October 16 – Moon, Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

Friday, October 23 – Moon, Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

Friday, October 30 – Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, M42, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

 

November 2026 (7:00 – 10:00 p.m.)

Friday, November 6 – Saturn, Neptune, Albireo, M42, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

Friday, November 13 – Moon, Saturn,  Neptune, Albireo, M42, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

Friday, November 20 – Moon, Saturn, Neptune, M42, M31, M13, NGC457, M57, and M45.

 

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.