High Desert Astronomical Society (HiDAS)

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High Desert Astronomical Society (HiDAS)

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The High Desert Astronomical Society is based out of the Luz Observatory in Apple Valley, CA

The High Desert Astronomical Society (HiDAS) is a nonprofit corporation
that was formed in 1986 to provide trained, volunteer astronomers to
operate and maintain the Lewis Center's astronomical equipment. A second
mandate is to foster and support the members' and general public's
interest in the science of astronomy. HiDAS, through its corporate Board of Directors, oversees the Center's
observatory operations, which include:

* Acquisition and maintenance of observatory equipment.
* Training, certification and scheduling of its volunteer astronomers.
* Providing support to further the Center's goals of advancing science
and technology education.

10/25/2026

Thank you to everyone that came out last night for Cosmic Nights at the Victor Valley Museum-A San Bernardino County Museum to share a night under the stars with us. 🪐🔭✨️

It was clear skies and we were able to share some amazing views of the Hunter Moon, Saturn, and Andromeda with the community.

As always we are grateful to share our passion for space, inspire new astronomers to look farther than the horizon, and support our high desert communities and beyond in everyway we can.

10/25/2026

Cosmic Nights at the Victor Valley Museum-A San Bernardino County Museum

The Moon 10/24/26 🌌 🔭

10/14/2026

Join the High Desert Astronomical Society (HiDAS) for a special Halloween edition of our Public Observation Night & Halloween Candy Giveaway! 🍬

Bring the family, enjoy some sweet treats, and explore the wonders of the night sky with us at the Luz Observatory! 🌌

📍Location:
Luz Observatory
20702 Thunderbird Rd.
Apple Valley, CA 92307
(Located behind the AVCI building)

⏰️ When: Saturday, October 31, 2026 starting at 7:45 PM

👻 Costumes are encouraged, but not required!

✨ Come for the candy, stay for the cosmos! 🌠

We look forward to sharing the evening with our High Desert community!

10/11/2026

A Sunset on Mars: A Moment in Human History

Imagine watching the Sun sink below a distant mountain range on another planet. This breathtaking view captures a real sunset on Mars, offering us a rare glimpse of the beauty of a world millions of kilometers from Earth.

Unlike sunsets on our planet, Martian sunsets can appear bluish around the Sun. This unusual effect occurs because fine dust particles in Mars’s thin atmosphere scatter sunlight differently than the atmosphere on Earth.

Thanks to robotic explorers sent by NASA, we can witness these extraordinary scenes directly from the Martian surface. Each image reveals more about the Red Planet’s atmosphere, landscape, and environment while helping scientists prepare for future exploration.

One day, humans may stand on Martian soil and experience this incredible sight firsthand, watching the Sun disappear beyond the horizon of another world.

We are living in an extraordinary age—when distant planets are no longer just points of light in the night sky, but real places we can explore through images captured millions of kilometers away. 🚀🔴

🌅 Would you like to witness a sunset on Mars with your own eyes someday?

10/03/2026

09/28/2026

🌌 OCTOBER 2026 SKY EVENTS — GET READY

Nine sky events are lined up for October, so mark your calendar now.

📅 Oct 3–5: Moon near Mars in the pre-dawn sky
🪐 Oct 4: Saturn at opposition, its closest and brightest of 2026
🚀 Oct 4–10: World Space Week
🌙 Oct 6: The Moon passes in front of Jupiter before dawn
☄️ Oct 8–9: Draconid meteor shower, best in the evening
🌑 Oct 10: New Moon, the darkest skies for the Milky Way
🔭 Oct 11: Mars passes through the Beehive Cluster
☄️ Oct 21: Orionid meteor shower, best before dawn
🌕 Oct 26: Hunter's Moon

Most of these can be seen with the naked eye. Binoculars help with the Beehive Cluster, and a telescope shows Saturn's rings. The Jupiter occultation is visible from most of North America except the far West. Elsewhere, Jupiter simply appears close to the Moon.

Which October event are you most excited to watch?

09/22/2026

A closer look at the sun reveals swirling plasma, powerful magnetic fields, sunspots, prominences, and the intricate layers of the solar atmosphere that remind us that our closest star is anything but ordinary.

Images like these show us the incredible intersection of science, technology, art, and wonder—capturing details the human eye alone could never see.

Amazing!

09/22/2026

Address

20702 Thunderbird Road
Apple Valley, CA
92307

Telephone

+17607927090

Website

https://linktr.ee/hidas_observatory

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