Oracle Night Sky Charm
Star Party at Oracle State Park, September 2025, by Mike Weasner.
Welcome to the 10th edition of “Oracle Night Sky Charm”. These monthly articles will help you enjoy Oracle’s Night Sky. You will also learn the importance of protecting our Night Sky Heritage.
Star Parties
Have you attended a star party at Oracle State Park? If you haven’t, you can see some of what you have missed by looking at the photograph at the top of this page. It was taken during the star party on Saturday, 20 September 2025. You can read a report of the event with lots of photos at this link. The next star party at the Park will be on Saturday, 1 November 2025. Hope to see you there!
An Evening Comet
In late October and early November you will have an opportunity to see Comet C/2026 A6 (Lemmon) low in the western sky about an hour after sunset. This comet was discovered earlier this year at Mount Lemmon Observatory, about 10 miles south of Oracle. It is currently predicted to be faintly visible to the eye in late October when it is closest to the Earth. Look northwest; the comet will be to the left of the handle of the Big Dipper. Each night it moves further away from the Big Dipper. On 1 November, look almost due west low along the horizon. Using binoculars or a small telescope will help you spot Comet Lemmon. Have fun!
Enjoy our Night Sky Charm!
As was discussed in last month’s Oracle Night Sky Charm, autumn months are a great time of year to enjoy Oracle’s dark sky. The nights are comfortable and monsoon storm clouds are gone. The sky gets darker earlier each evening, giving everyone more time to appreciate being in Oracle. Our local non-human residents also appreciate that Oracle human residents want to protect their local natural nocturnal environment. Protecting the night sky for our enjoyment and health also helps our non-human neighbors survive. You can protect our Night Sky Charm by using proper outdoor lighting that illuminates only the ground where you live and work and not the sky or your neighbor’s property. Turn lights off when no one is outside who needs the lighting. Proper lighting makes you safer and healthier, enhances security, reduces energy costs and impacts on climate, and preserves the natural nocturnal environment to protect life on our Home Planet Earth. To learn more about proper lighting, see the DarkSky International website.
If there is something you would like discussed in “Oracle Night Sky Charm”, email Mike Weasner at mweasner@mac.com. Mike has been a volunteer at Oracle State Park since 2014 and is a past Vice President and past President of Friends of Oracle State Park.