Things are looking up for 2009, and what better way to kick off the new year than to see great views of the night sky — for free?

   Check out the McDowell Observatory. Located in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst, it is open to the public Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m.

  Note: Observing is weather dependent and will be canceled for the night if the skies are cloudy or if there’s any type of precipitation.

    Click here for more posts and here for information on the observatory.

    Click "Continue reading…"  to see the January highlights schedule.

January

5^th & 7^th      Moon, M31, NGC 457, h & chi Persei, M45, M42, Rigel & Betelgeuse

12^th & 14^th   Moon, M31, NGC 457, h & chi Persei, M45, M42, Rigel & Betelgeuse

19^th & 21^st   Venus, M31, NGC 457, h & chi Persei, M45, M42, Rigel & Betelgeuse

26^th & 28^th   Venus, M31, NGC 457, h & chi Persei, M45, M42, Rigel & Betelgeuse

Key: M31 – Andromeda galaxy, M45 – Pleiades star cluster, M42 – The Orion Nebula