Dedicated to helping stargazers of all ages learn about the joys of amateur astronomy through events, monthly meetings, star parties and community outreach.
Join us for our monthly general meeting at the Hillcrest Center for Arts, 403 W. Hillcrest Dr, Thousand Oaks. Our guest speaker will be Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, Navigation Engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, FREE & OPEN to the Public. Tonight's topic is on the Near Earth Object Surveyor mission
The Messier Marathon will commence on Saturday evening March 21st to last the
entire night into Sunday morning March 22nd.
Messier marathon is an attempt to find as many Messier objects as possible during one night. The Messier catalogue was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier during the late 18th century and consists of 110 relatively bright deep-sky objects (galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters).
The marathon will be held at the Frazier Mountain Trailhead 20W03 parking lot located just approx. 1/4 mile above the Chuchupate Ranger Station on Frazier Mountain Rd.
This event is open to all VCAS members, family, and friends. Please plan to bring "Very Warm Jacket / Clothing" as the nighttime temperatures could get into the low 30's. It is possible to see even lower temps through the night.
The Messier Marathon rules state that the participant is to use Manual / or Old School Observation, "No GOTO / Computer Aided Observations"
I encourage all participants to try your best to follow the rules of the Marathon. No one will be excluded; all are welcome to participate even with GOTO telescopes.
Please respond to me (email hidden; JavaScript is required) if you plan to attend the Messier Marathon, as I want to make sure I have enough object order viewing lists to hand out.
Those that participate with a NON-GOTO telescope will receive a certificate from the Astronomical League for your participation.
I will have extra Dobsonian Telescopes setup at the site for Club Members that would like to participate but do not own a telescope. The Dob's will be shared with all club
members that are interested.
If you plan to attend ***Please Arrive at Least one Hour Before Sunset.***
The marathon starts a few minutes before sunset, as a couple objects will need to be found right at sunset.
Please use the Gmail link below for complete directions to the site.
Frazier Mountain Trailhead - 20W03 - Google Maps
This site is in the Los Padres National Forest, Mt Pinos Ranger District, and is at an elevation of approx. 5400ft. The Frazier Mountain Trailhead (elev. 5400 ft.) is located on the west side of Frazier Mountain Road (8N04) approximately 3/4 mile south of Lockwood Valley Road and Forest Service Chuchupate Ranger Station. There is a large, paved parking lot with pull-through stalls for vehicles with trailers or motor homes, and a vault toilet at the trailhead.
Simple Directions: I-5 north towards Frazier Park, Exit Frazier Mountain Park Rd. turn left, follow until you reach Lockwood Valley Rd., turn left, follow approx. 1 mile to Forest Route 8N04 / Frazier Mountain Rd. turn left, follow approx. 3/4 mile to Frazier Mountain Trailhead 20W03, turn right into the parking lot. Be looking toward the north (lower) end of the parking lot for the VCAS club banner.
Current status of the Frazier Mountain Trailhead is listed as closed, please ignore as the parking lot is never closed (no gate), only the OHV Trailhead is closed for the winter.
A Forest Pass is not required to park in this parking location.
Please keep an eye on your emails, as I will update a "Go" or "No Go" for this event on Friday March 20th evening, and /or Saturday March 21st morning.
Are you passionate about exploring the stars and deepening your understanding of the universe? Join the Ventura County Astronomical Society (VCAS) and connect with a community of amateur astronomers!
We offer engaging events, including public star parties, expert-led lectures, and hands-on workshops. Whether you're new to astronomy or a seasoned stargazer, our members enjoy exclusive access to telescopes, astro-imaging groups, field trips to dark-sky locations, and more.
Come and share your curiosity with us — everyone is welcome under the stars!
On the morning of March 3rd there will be a Total Lunar Eclipse
