Ten Acre Observatory

01/23/2025

A whole lot of stuff in the western sky around midnight on the 5th of February!

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11/12/2024

We have again been recognized by NASA/JPL for our work with the TAO/OAC Public Outreach Program.
Awarded with certificates and service pins are Delynn Merrick, David Wrenn and Nick Lazzaro.

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11/07/2024

The viewing session for the resident of the Broadway Living Center in Lexington went really well last night. Despite the cooler temps, we had about 20 participants enjoy the opportunity to get a good look at the Moon and Saturn. About half were looking thru a telescope for the first time. Even though we set up in the facility parking area which was right across the street from the extremely well lit gas station/convenience store we were able to have a good time!

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10/30/2024

Once again the clouds and wind has required us to reschedule a viewing session. The residents at the Broadway Living Center were on the schedule tonight but mother nature had other ideas.

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10/28/2024

We were able to squeak in a pretty good viewing session for some members of the Shawnee Lion's Club on Thursday the 24th. We were treated with excellent views of Saturn, the Ring Nebula, M13 (globular Cluster in Hercules), the Andromeda Galaxy, the Polaris and Alberio binary star systems and the Owl Cluster in Cassiopeia. A good time had by all!

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10/18/2024

This image of Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS C/2023 A3 is by club president David Wrenn using his cell phone camera.
This comet will undoubtedly be the most photographed comet in history.

10/15/2024

Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas C/2023 A3: Photographed from the side of Slaughterville Rd just to the east of 180th Ave SE. Camera/Exposure data: Nikon D3200 w/Sigma 18-300mm Telephoto Lens, ISO 100, 30 seconds at f5. Wide angle image shot at 100mm with the narrower field image taken at 300mm. Taken about 35 minutes after sunset it was barely visible to the unaided eye and was situated between Venus and Arcturus.

10/14/2024

Real good turnout at the Movie and Moon event Saturday evening! We were able to get real good views of the Moon and of Saturn! We also got to glimpse of the Ring Nebula (M57) and a pretty nice view of Vega (Lyra alpha).

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10/12/2024

Movie & Moon Party tonight at Purcell's MPC (1400 Chandler Rd.) .....starts at about 5:30 with How to read Star Charts presentation in the gym.

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10/12/2024

Last night's viewing session at Meadow Lake Assisted Living Center went really well....reports are that all had a good time! Including US!

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10/08/2024

We will be in SW OKC this Friday with Telescopes for the residents of Meadow Lake Retirement Village (off of S. Western) Viewing enjoyment.

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10/06/2024

A good Viewing Session tonight! We "rolled out" the 20" with fair viewing conditions. He got a really good look at Saturn to start with then a preliminary look at the Andromeda Galaxy. We also checked out the Owl Cluster, the double cluster in Perseus, the Polaris binary, with excellent views of M13 in Hercules and the Ring Nebula (M57) in Lyra. We revisited Saturn and the Andromeda Galaxy after they got higher in the sky and managed to see Andromeda's companion dwarf galaxies M32 and M110. The humidity started coming up at about 9:15pm which brought the contrast down making it difficult to get good views of any dimmer objects.
The session broke up at about 10pm.

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10/05/2024

We had several residents from the Silver Elm community come out for the viewing session. We were able to see Venus and Saturn quite easily, with a couple of stars thrown in. The only problem was having to deal with at least 2 full squadrons of attack mosquitoes!
Very aggressive!

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10/04/2024

Saturday Night Viewing Session
10/5/24 @ 7:15pm

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10/01/2024

There was a good group that attended the Basics of Visual Astronomy presentation that was given this afternoon at the Westbrook Retirement Village over in Purcell. Several good questions and discussions were initiated by the residents. Good time for all! Looking forward to a viewing session for them there at their location!

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09/27/2024

Today's presentation for Noble High School's Astronomy Class went well..... the teacher plans to bring her class out to the observatory for an evening of viewing after they get back from the Okie-Tex Star Party.

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09/21/2024

Had a gentleman up from down Lawton way for a viewing session tonight. Things went pretty well until the humidity started going up and clouds moved into the northern sky..... we got good views of the open cluster between Scorpio and Sagittarius (M7), the globular cluster in Hercules (M13), the Lagoon Nebula in Sagittarius (M8), the Ring Nebula in Lyra (M57), the Veil Nebula in Cygnus (both sides), the dark lanes along the summer arm of the Milky Way (dark nebula), the Owl Cluster in Cassiopeia, the binary star systems of Polaris, Alcor/Mizar and Alberio in Cygnus. We also looked at Vega. To top off the evening we got a pretty good view of Saturn with Titan and possibly Rhea or Enceladus.

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