Wine Country Star Party

01/25/2026

Check it out! 🚀
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=926575660046049&set=a.139685705401719&type=3&mibextid=wwXIfr

On February 6, Artemis II lifts off.
But the most remarkable part of the mission isn’t the rocket — it’s the route.

The spacecraft will follow what orbital mechanics calls a free-return trajectory.

Going to the Moon isn’t about aiming straight at it. The launch window is timed to the second so Orion enters a precise figure-eight path through space.

Here’s the physics behind it:

As Orion approaches the Moon, lunar gravity takes over. The spacecraft swings around the far side — the dark side — using the Moon itself as a massive gravitational lever. That curve in space does the steering.
If the main engine were to fail completely at that moment, the crew would still come home safely. The geometry of the trajectory guarantees that the Moon’s gravity naturally bends Orion’s path back toward Earth — no thrust, no fuel, no intervention.

It’s the ultimate contingency plan.
On Artemis II, gravity isn’t just something engineers fight against.
It’s the backup engine.

01/21/2026

We are delighted to partner with the non-profit, Lighthouse for the Blind, as the professional astronomers providing Star Gazing for their special Valentine event: "Above the Clouds, Under the Stars Dinner Star Party! Join us at one of the most beautiful settings for a Star Party, in Napa County!
Reservations: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-best-kept-secret-in-napa-valentines-dinner-and-stargazing-party-tickets-1980828112206

01/11/2026

We are delighted to partner with the non-profit, Lighthouse for the Blind, as the professional astronomers providing Star Gazing for all the guests at their 2026 "Galentine's All-Inclusive Retreat" weekend! We visited their property, Enchanted Hills, and were charmed by the one of the most beautiful settings for a Star Party, in Napa County!
Reservations are still available through [email protected] .

11/10/2025

Star Party at Guerneville's Dawn Ranch! What a lovely evening it was, after the wedding party's rehearsal dinner. Cocoa, Toasted Marshmallows, a warm and cozy fire pit, and of course the stars!

07/20/2025

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02/23/2025

Our Solar System 😎 vs. the Biggest Black Hole Ever Found 🕳️

Well, this is humbling! TON 618, the largest known black hole, is 66 billion times the mass of our Sun and a diameter 30–40 times wider than our entire solar system.

To put that into perspective, if our entire solar system (including the distant Oort Cloud) were placed next to it, it would be completely swallowed within its gravitational abyss. Nothing, not even light, escapes once it crosses the boundary.

And here’s the mind-blowing part: The light we see from TON 618 has been traveling for over 18.2 billion years just to reach us. That means this cosmic monster existed long before Earth even formed.

The universe doesn’t just make us feel small; it redefines what “big” even means. 🤯

Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/universe/nasa-animation-sizes-up-the-universes-biggest-black-holes/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIkEGJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRQQoaU-uSMvZeVqfgMVw25Zq773J5-EgX_7ShvqaJNL_tVM83zK99kwEA_aem_QJxFimNJVCPPC48A8ajqZA

12/15/2024

Attention 1st-8th Grade Future Astronomers!

Applications are now OPEN for our Striking Sparks program until February! Visit our website and talk to your science teacher to learn more about how you can WIN A TELESCOPE!

Apply now: https://rfo.org/index.php/striking-sparks/

To get started, download the application form from our website and bring it to your science teacher or an RFO member. Applicants must be Sonoma County students in grades 1-8. You'll also need to attend at least one Robert Ferguson Observatory event and write a short essay about your love for astronomy.
Spark your curiosity and unlock the cosmos with your very own telescope!

11/14/2024

Photo Credit: Robert Grant The purpose of the Striking Sparks program is to promote science education and interest in astronomy for Sonoma County students. The program’s name comes from Robert Ferguson and a student building a telescope together; this struck a “Spark” of interest that contribu...