Bring the night sky to your guests with a private astronomy experience led by members of the Central Coast Astronomical Society.
CCAS can create astronomy programs for wineries, schools, community groups, private events, retreats, parks, and other venues throughout the Central Coast. Depending on your event, we can provide telescopes, experienced astronomers, guided observing, night-sky tours, and beginner-friendly presentations.
These experiences are designed to be welcoming and accessible, even for guests who have never looked through a telescope before.
What can a hosted astronomy experience include?
A program might include several telescope observing stations, a guided tour of the constellations, views of the Moon and planets, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and double stars, or a short introductory presentation before observing begins.
For daytime events, solar observing may also be available.
Our astronomers stay with the telescopes throughout the event to help guests observe, answer questions, explain what they are seeing, and make the experience interactive rather than simply providing equipment.
Programs can be customized to your event
Every group is different, so we can adjust the experience based on your audience, location, expected attendance, schedule, and goals.
A small private gathering might need only one or two telescopes and a few astronomers. A larger public event may benefit from multiple observing stations, a presentation, and a more structured flow for guests.
We can also work with venues that want to make astronomy part of a larger evening, such as a dinner, fundraiser, educational event, retreat, or community program.
Who is this for?
Hosted astronomy experiences can work well for:
- wineries and hospitality venues
- schools and homeschool groups
- nonprofit and community organizations
- parks and outdoor venues
- private parties and special events
- corporate groups, retreats, and conferences
Weather and observing conditions
Because astronomy depends on the sky, observing plans are always weather-dependent. We will work with you ahead of time to create the best plan for your event and discuss options if conditions are not suitable for telescope observing.
Interested in bringing astronomy to your group?
Tell us a little about your event, location, expected attendance, and what you have in mind. We can help you decide what type of astronomy experience would work best for your group.