01 / Deep fieldYear-round
The Deep Field
An hour on the 24-inch Cassegrain, hunting galaxies, nebulae and the light of things that no longer exist. Bring a question.
An observatory at the edge of the Mojave · Est. 1962
Look up.
The desert is dark enough to see forever. We have two telescopes, one very good chef, and an unreasonable number of stars.
01 / Programmes
Three ways to
Three ways to
meet the sky.
Every night begins with a short talk, ends with a cup of something warm, and lives somewhere in between in the dark.
02 / PlanetaryThu — Sat
The Planetary hour
Jupiter, Saturn, and whatever else is willing to show up. Small groups, a big telescope, and no rush to leave.
03 / SolarSunset only
The Long Sunset
Watch the last light leave the ridge, then the first stars arrive. A glass of wine, a short walk, no telescope required.
02 / Tonight's sky
A map for
A map for
the 11th.
What you'll see tonight if the clouds behave. The map faces south from the observing deck at 21:00 — Orion, just above the ridge, and Gemini rising behind him.
Visible planetsJupiter +2.4 mag
Moonrise19:42 PST
Milky WayFaint south
Darks17h 12m until 04:54
Observer's chart · 34.9062° N
03 / An evening
The night,
The night,
in sequence.
One ticket, the whole evening. Arrive before the light goes; leave when your eyes have adjusted so much that the car feels too bright.
17:00
Arrive & settle
A warm drink, a map of the sky, and a slow walk up to the ridge.
17:45
The long sunset
The last light on the ridge. Nothing to do but watch it leave.
19:00
Supper
A set menu by the fire. Mostly things that can be eaten with one hand and no hurry.
20:30
Doors to the dome
The talk, the red lights, the climb up the stairs. The sky does the rest.
23:30
Last look
One more object. One more cup. Come back down when you're ready.
04 / Calendar
Upcoming nights.
Numbers are kept small so everyone gets time at the eyepiece. If a night is cloudy, we move you or refund you.
Fri 13 NovAstronomy talk
The Leonids, earlyWith Dr. Ada Wiener · deep field after
17:00 — 23:30 4 places leftSat 14 NovNew moon
The darkest nightDeep field · full evening · no moon
17:00 — 00:30 2 places leftThu 19 NovPlanetary
Jupiter at oppositionThe big one, close and bright
18:00 — 21:30 6 places leftSat 21 NovLong sunset
The last lightWine, a walk, and the first stars
16:30 — 19:00 Sold out
05 / Visit
The drive is
The drive is
part of it.
We are 90 minutes from Palm Springs, past the last streetlight, at the end of a road that becomes gravel. The sky begins where the road ends.
- Address
- Orbital Observatory
21 Old Telescope Road, Joshua Tree, CA 92252 - Season
- Thursday — Sunday, September to May
Closed during the summer monsoons - Getting here
- 90 min from PSP · parking on site
We send a map with your booking - Good to know
- Warm layers, closed shoes, no white torches. All ages after 8pm.