SCDVA Southern California Desert Video Astronomers

Southern California Desert Video Astronomers

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Our Mission.............................
" To share our abilities with astronomy in order to preserve dark starry night skies and a vibrant healthy environment in the California Desert and everywhere else on our Planet for future generations! "

SCDVA, moving the line for dark skies and environmental awareness.

Big News Folks!

Pluto.... Hidden in Darkness

Join us for an evening focused on the distant and mysterious "Dwarf" Planet,,, PLUTO as we will venture to grab a view of this faint object with our visual telescopes. That's right! Visual seeing of the tiny rock so far away, as it moves into Sagittarius we can perhaps get a glimpse of this rarely seen place in our solar system.

We will also be introducing a new program that will become part of our regular show where we go IDA dark for a laser tour of the night sky. This is inspired by the notion that more attention needs to be put on the environmental thoughts of how the International Dark-Sky Association has been fighting for quality night skies for over a quarter of a century. We will celebrate this organization and with that be making a very special announcement regarding them and our desert night skies.

Please drive SLOWLY in the Campground to keep dust low and remember your comforts and libations. We ask $5.00 at the door, though never turn anyone away. We do insist that pets be left at home. No pets please.

If you want to stay overnight

Make your RV & Camping reservations
At the Joshua Tree Lake
RV & Campground

760-366-1213

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Joshua Tree National Park announces that it is now an official International Dark-Sky Association
"Dark Sky Park"
A star party celebrating the accomplishment is set for the Peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower and will take place at the historic sidewalk astronomy site known to many star gazers as the Hidden Valley Picnic Area inside the Park.
Bring a telescope and join in the celebration
Come watch the Perseids with us!

The evening of August 12th

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WELCOME

FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD!Let's explore our wonderful Universe together!

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Check out the JTAAT Movie by Leonard Holmberg,

Showing some of the Happenings and Fun

Click below to take a journey.

Take a trip to our Astronomy Theater, live images captured and displayed on our giant screen. JTAAT a magical place for Concerts, Star Parties, Art Exhibits, Weddings and Special Events. Special thanks to SCDVA.org and Nasa.

Clear Sky Chart for The Joshua Tree Astronomy Arts Theater

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Here is What You Missed at our Last Event
Sounds of Life Innate Vibrations Featuring

Clive Wright

And the Fabulous Photography of
Liz & Rich

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~~~~ For This & Future Events ~~~

You may want to stay all night under the starry nights of the Joshua Tree Desert Skies.
Make your RV & Camping reservations early
At the Joshua Tree Lake
RV & Campground

Moon Phases for July 2017

January moon, February moon, March moon, April moon, May moon, June moon, July moon, August moon, September moon, October moon, November moon, December Moon

The World's First & Only Live Astronomy Theater.
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SCDVA, Official IDA Chapter Serving The High Desert Region
of
San Bernardino County

IDA International Dark Sky Association

July Skies

The planetary line up for July

Mercury is back in the early evening twilight sky later in the month. Around the 25th, it can be found just to the left of the bright star Regulus with a crescent Moon resting below them.

Venus, aka the Morning Star is in the early morning sky. As it slowly moves back towards the north-east horizon. On the 13th, Venus will be directly to the left of the
orange giant star Aldebaran (The eye of Taurus, the bull). Then on the 21st the thin crescent Moon will sit just below Venus.

Mars cannot be seen this month as it is too close to the Sun.

Jupiter is high in the SouthWest at sunset and will set just after midnight in the west. On the First Quarter Moon, the moon is just below Jupiter. Then on the 29th the crescent Moon forms a triangle with Jupiter and the bright star Spica (Virgo).

Saturn can be found in the north-east at sunset just below the constellation of Scorpius. In fact, it is positioned near the center of our Galaxy, the brightest and also the dustiest part of the Milky Way. The Moon is just below Saturn on the night of the 7th.

July 3rd Earth Reaches Aphelion

Earth reaches aphelion. July 3, 2017 1:11 pm (in Joshua Tree, California). This is when the Earth is at its furthest point from the Sun for the year, at 94,505,901 miles.

It is a coincidence that this occurs during our summer; the change in distance between the Earth and Sun during one orbit is small enough that there is no significant effect on daily temperatures.
The Earth is closest to the Sun, at its Perihelion, about 2 weeks after the December Solstice.

July 4th

July 9th Full Moon

This full Moon was known by Native Americans as the Thunder Moon, because thunderstorms are so frequent during this month. Also it was known as the Full Buck Moon as a buck’s antlers are in full growth mode.

July 27 -30 The Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower

Late July 2017, before dawn, the Delta Aquariids peak. Like the Eta Aquarids in May, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower in July favors the Southern Hemisphere and tropical latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The meteors appear to radiate from near the star Skat or Delta in the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer. The maximum hourly rate can reach 15-20 meteors in a dark sky.

The nominal peak is around July 27-30, but, unlike many meteor showers, the Delta Aquariids lack a very definite peak. Instead, these medium-speed meteors ramble along fairly steadily throughout late July and early August. An hour or two before dawn usually presents the most favorable view of the Delta Aquariids. At the shower’s peak in late July 2017, the rather faint Delta Aquariid meteors will not have to contend with moonlight, as the waxing crescent moon will set before the midnight hour. But by early August, the waxing gibbous moon will definitely intrude. Best seen in the wee hours before dawn in late July.

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Another highlight of summer sky, is the Summer Triangle asterism rising in the east in June and July evenings. It’s a large star pattern made of 3 bright stars in 3 separate constellations, Cygnus (The Swan), Lyra (The Harp) and Aquila (The Eagle).

"Ask not what dark skies can do for you, rather,
Ask what you can do for dark skies."

Inspired by a quote from JFK

Click the above image to see amazing live views of our earth
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Book Your Fun Events Now Under the Beautiful Joshua Tree Night Skies
JTAATinfo@gmail.com

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For our next Star Party or Event,
Why Not Make it an All Nighter Under the Starry Nights of the Joshua Tree Desert Skies.

Make your camping reservations early
At the Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground




Questions?
Contact us at:
scdvainfo@gmail.com