Sky’s the limit this weekend

It may not be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius—or even the latest flyover by Halley’s Comet. But there have been some pretty spectacular celestial bodies on display in the night skies this spring. And this weekend brings some great opportunities to ogle them.

Saturn, Mars, Venus and the moon all will be visible—weather permitting—during a Friday night hike and sky-gazing session billed as “The Royal Flush in Planets” at the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.

The evening will be led by amateur astronomer Pat McQuaid, a volunteer interpreter who hosts monthly stargazing sessions at the park. (It’s free, but there’s a $3 charge to park. Details are here.)

After a short, moderate hike, participants will get to look through McQuaid’s powerful 11-inch telescope, similar to those used at the Griffith Observatory.

McQuaid, a recently retired grocer who’s been looking skyward since he was a kid growing up in Chatsworth, calls the planetary lineup “an extravaganza in the sky.”

And (thank your lucky stars) the extravaganza also can be viewed Saturday at one of the Griffith Observatory’s free monthly public Star Parties.

Tony Cook, who writes the Sky Report for the observatory’s website and hosts its monthly “All Space Considered” briefing, says the timing is right to see Venus, Mars and Saturn, along with the bright stars Regulus and Spica, “basically in a line.”

“It does give a wide variety of things to look at,” Cook says. “And the moon is always exciting to look at.”

Looking at planets and the moon in photos and on TV is fine, but is no match for first-hand observation, McQuaid says: “This is the real deal. There’s nothing in front of that telescope except air, space and then Venus.”

And even city dwellers can share the experience.

“Those days of lying on my back in my backyard in Chatsworth and looking up at the Milky Way are long gone,” McQuaid says. “But people would be surprised at what you can see, especially in our parklands.”

Posted 6/16/10