Astro 25 Field Trips
The Observational Astronomy Course (Astro 25) culminates with a semester-end field trip (weather permitting) to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - a remote site with dark skies better suited than Saddleback College for viewing fainter deep sky objects, such as galaxies, nebulae, and globular clusters. Two large, 16" Newtonian Dobsonian telescope are generally brought to the site. The class staff finds and shows objects to students throughout the evening and aids those who wish to try their hand at Astrophotography.
This is also an opportunity to see the night sky naked-eye or with binoculars far from city lights.
 05/11/13 |
 07/19/14 |
 12/05/15 |
 View Above Field Trip Site |
 04/18/16 |
 04/18/16 |
 04/18/16 |
 04/18/16 |
 04/18/16 |
 Descent to Field Trip Site |
 The Class Armada Approaches Field Trip Site |
 Star Tracking Rig for Astrophotography |
 Star Tracking Rig for Astrophotography |
 Setting up for Astrophotography |
 Anza-Borrego Landscape |
 Anza-Borrego Desert Floor Cloud Shadows |
 04/22/17 |
 04/22/17 |
 04/22/17 |
 04/22/17 |
 04/22/17 |
 04/22/17 |
 Cacti at Anza-Borrego |
 03/31/16 Stars Through Cloud Cover - Pentax K-50 Zeiss 135mm 27sec ISO1600 |
 03/31/16 Stars Through Cloud Cover - Pentax K-50 Zeiss 135mm 18sec ISO800 |
 08/04/18 |
 08/04/18 |
 08/04/18 |
 08/04/18 |
 12/08/18 |
 12/08/18 |
 12/08/18 - Constellation Orion Rising Over Class Nikon D850 28mm, 4sec, f/2.8, ISO5000 |
 11/23/19 - Costellation Orion Through Clouds Nikon D850, 50mm, 2sec, f/1.4, ISO1600 |
Miscellaneous Related Photos
 College Radio Telescope - Student Built (in testing phase) |
 SBig - STX-16803 Astrophotography Camera |
 College Observatory |
 College Radio Telescope |
 Radio Telescope - Student Designed Software Screen |
 Starspliiter 24" Dobsonian Telescope |
 College Observatory |
 Mt. Wilson Observatory - Hooker 100" Dome |
 Mt. Wilson Observatory - Solar Observatories |
 Mt. Wilson - Hooker 100" Newtonian Telescope |
 Mt. Wilson - Hooker 100" Newtonian Telescope |
 Mt. Wilson - Hooker 100" Newtonian Telescope |
 Mt. Wilson - Hooker 100" Observatory Dome |
 Lowell Observatory - 24" Clark Refractor Rare 1924 Historical Photo: Last confirmed sighting of desolate J. L. Smith, aka "The Last Lab Assistant" |
 Mt. Wilson - Hooker 100" Newtonian Telescope |
 Mt. Wilson - Hooker 100" Newtonian Telescope - Observer's Chair |
 Saddleback Observatory |
 Observatory Older Meade 16" SCT |
 WAO (Wildomar-Argos Observatory) Remote Site |
 WAO (Wildomar-Argos Observatory) Auxiliary Equipment |
 Observatory Bunker with Telescope and Equipment Inventory |
 24" Newtonian Dobsonian Telescope |
 Lunar Image Displayed Live on Observatory Large Screen Monitor |
 Rocket Plumb from Unpublicized Launch 02/06/18 - Nikon D850 50mm 1/10sec f/1.6 ISO6400 Hand-held |
 Rocket Plumb Separation from Launch 02/06/18 - Nikon D850 50mm 1/10sec f/1.6 ISO6400 Hand-held |
 Club Assembling First Prototype Radio Telescope I |
 Club Assembling First Prototype Radio Telescope II |
 Club Assembling First Prototype Radio Telescope III |
 Club Programming and Electronics Team for Radio Telescope |
 Meade 8" Scopes on Piers on Observation Pad |
 Students out on Observation Pad for Night Astro 25 Lab |
 Observatory at Night with Full Moon |
 Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center I |
 Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center II |
 Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center III |
 Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center IV |
 Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center V |
 Space Shuttle Endeavour at California Science Center VI |
 Lowell Observatory - 24" Clark Refractor 1924 Color Restoration: Last confirmed sighting of J. L. Smith, aka "The Last Lab Assistant" |
 Tracking A Satellite using Meade 16", SBig STX-16803 Camera and SkyX Software |
 Trees, Moon & Stars |
 Radio Telescope - Discerning the Signal |