Next Astronomy Event
ZANESVILLE ASTRONOMY CLUB
An Affiliate of the NASA Night Sky Network
The 10 October FREE southeastern Ohio celestial viewing event sponsored by our local astronomy club will begin at 7:30 PM. Meet at the Rogge Pavilion beside the Lewis Observatory on the Ohio University Zanesville campus. A jacket and insect repellent are advised.
OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS
ORIONIDS: OCTOBER 2-November 6
A medium strength shower with usually 10-20 meteors per hour. They are fast at 66 km per second and produce long glowing trains. Fireballs are possible. Moon is in waxing gibbous so only the bright ones will be seen. Parent object is Comet 1P Halley. Peak night is 21-22 October.
SOUTHERN TAURIDS: 10 September-10 December
Some are visible north of the equator. produces only 5 per hour, some are fireballs. Moon is waning crescent and will not interfere. Parent object is Comet 2P Encke. Peak night is 5-6 November.
NOTHERN TAURIDS: 20 October - 10 December
They last 2 months with only 5 pr hour. Waxing crescent Moon will set early. Good new for watchers. Parent object is Comet 2P/Encke. Peak night is 12-13 November
The Summer Triangle will catch your eye in the west. Pegasus dominate the southern sky. Cassiopeia and Perseus are well placed for viewing in the NE. Andromeda Galaxy is almost at zenith, right above us.
Saturn and Neptune are now observable all night long. Uranus rises mid-evening. Jupiter and Mars are in the east in early morning. Venus is lost in the Sun's glare. An almost full Moon meets up with Saturn on 23 & 24 October.
On 5 October there is a close conjunction of a waning crescent Moon and Mars. The pair will be close to the Beehive Cluster. Find them in the east a couple of hours before sunrise.
The young crescent Moon will shine near Mercury above the western horizon after sunset on 12 October. An almost f
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
OCTOBER EVENT CALENDAR uses the Moon to locate objects, then use your binocs or scope to zoom in on the event.
01 Spica 14 degrees S of Venus
03 Pleiades cluster 12 degrees S of Moon
04 Last Quarter Moon
06 Mars 3 degrees S of Moon
06 Moon at perigee of 228,851 miles
08 Behive 0,5 degrees S of Moon
08 Jupiter 0,8 degrees S of Moon
11 New Moon
13 Spica 2.6 degrees N of Moon
14 Venus 0.5\6 degrees S of Moon
17 Pollux 5,9 degrees S of Mars
17 Antares 0,6 degrees N of Moon
18 First quarter Moon
19 Moon at apogee of 251,158 miles
23 Autuminal equinox (12-hours of daylight & 12 hours of dark)
26 Neptune at opposition
26 Spica 0.9 degrees N of Mercury
26 Full Moon
30 Pleiades Custer 11 degrees S of Moon
Daily information found in NIGHT SKY GUIDE 2026 by Nicole Mortillaro.
Zanesville Astronomy Club 2026
Southeastern Ohio residents and club members are invited to view our night skies at the Lewis Observatory on the OUZ campus in Zanesville, Ohio.
Please sign the guest book upon arriving. Dress for the weather.
Meetings and events are scheduled March through November.
If you would like to use the club Dobsonian telescope during our viewing events to enable sharing it with others, please let a coordinator know when you arrive. Thanks to all who bring and share their personal telescope! You can also check telescopes out of our local John McIntire Public Library as easily as checking out a book.
If you wish to receive the Zanesville Astronomy Club newsletter, send an email to: irenebaron@irenebaron.com with subject matter the word ASTRONOMY. In the message include your full name, email address, street address, city & state.
If you need help repairing your scope, contact Coordinator Chuck Bruckelmeyer during the event to arrange a meeting. He guides owners through repairs.
If you need help learning how to use your telescope, let one of the Coordinators know during a viewing event. They can show you at that time or arrange a private time. They can also answer your questions and offer help setting up your telescope.
Please share this information and URL link with family and friends who may be interested in learning more about astronomy and our FREE local events. All ages have attended with much praise for learning more about the night sky.
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THE CHRISTMAS STAR HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED
Unraveling the Christmas Star Mystery
by Irene Baron
Irene used NASA Jet Propulsion Library astronomy programs to identify the Christmas star. Her nonfiction book discusses the research that took place daily over several years.
This nonfiction astronomy book was awarded the GOLD MEDAL as the 2013 EXEMPLARY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION BOOK, or the best Christian Education book of the year! Buy on Amazon or where ever books are sold. Http://cutt.ly/we5mqvt
Bring the copy of your book to any club event to have it autographed by the author. She usually has a few available for sale.
Visits from around the world.
A Top Author Website of 2017
Coordinator John Bolen w/Lewis Telescope
Aligning telescope to nebula
John Bolen is a ZAC Coordinator who, with Chuck Bruckelmeyer, will will help host your viewing through the Lewis Telescope. In this image, John is setting up the telescope for a distant object through the dome opening of the observatory. John brings his Dobsonian telescope to monthly events. For viewing the Sun anytime, solar eclipses, and sunspots, he has protective solar filters. It is astonishing to safely look at the sun through his telescope. John Bolen has volunteered at almost every meeting and workshop since 2013. Thank you John for all your work with our organization.
Irene Baron founded the Zanesville Astronomy Club in 2013, She taught high school Astronomy, Chemistry, Earth Science, & Physical Science over 40 years and was selected as a NASA Partner - Eclipse Ambassador for Ohio. She is recognized as being one of the highest awarded teachers in the United States.
MIRROR GRINDING INSTRUCTION
One of numerous workshops
Coordinator Chuck Bruckelmeyer, former President of the Columbus Astronomical Society, presents workshops at about telescopes and astronomy. He has constructed telescopes by grinding his own concave mirror surfaces by hand. He assists club members with their telescopes. Discuss your needs with him at monthly events. In this photo, Chuck holds one of the mirrors on which he is currently working. We are very fortunate to have him as a member and active coordinator.