Stargazing
Big Bear Lake sits in an ideal location for stargazing. Away from the bright, big city lights and at its high altitude, the night skies over the Big Bear valley stay dark enough to view constellations, meteor showers, and even the Milky Way!
However, the beautiful night sky is what we make it. Help us conserve our dark skies by turning off unneeded lights and limiting landscape lighting when the sun goes down. Not only will you make the night sky better, you'll be conserving energy as well!
Stargazing 101
What's the best way to view the night sky?
- Look for a location away from bright nighttime lights and with a wide a view of the skies. It will take your eyes about 10-15 minutes to adapt to the dark.
- Use a red flashlight to keep your dark adaption intact; you will lose this using an ordinary flashlight. Many outdoor equipment stores sell headlamps with red and white LEDs.
- If you are new to stargazing, you might want to first use a pair of binoculars. Many celestial objects are visible with binoculars, including the moon and some planets.
- Download one of many free stargazing apps to help you navigate the sky above!
Start your star search with The Sky Live.
Big Bear Valley Astronomical Society
BBVAS is a group of Big Bear locals who come together to share the joy, wonder and science of Astronomy. They welcome all levels of astronomers in the Big Bear Valley.
BBVAS meets monthly on the second Thursday of the month at 6 PM via Zoom and hold monthly star parties on Saturdays closest to the new moon and Sidewalk Astronomy events in the Village on Saturdays closest to the first quarter moon. Both events are held during the Spring and Summer months only and weather permitting. For further information please contact Vatch Arouchian at AstroVatch@gmail.com or visit bearvalleyastronomers.org.
Astronomical Events Calendar 2023
Upcoming Events:
Meteor Showers of 2023
- Lyrids: April 21–22
- Eta Aquarids: May 4–5
- Delta Aquarids: July 29–30
- Perseids: August 11–13
- Draconids: October 8–10
- Orionids: October 20–21
- Leonids: November 17–18
Sourced from http://www.bearvalleyastronome...
View more celestial objects nightly with The Sky Live guide.
Big Bear Solar Observatory
One of Big Bear's most iconic landmarks is the Solar Observatory, operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The telescopes on the premises are specially made for observing and studying the Sun.
The Observatory does offer public tours of the grounds, check their website for info.
Help Big Bear Protect the Night Sky
Big Bear is a prime location for star gazing, but only if we keep it that way. Help the valley conserve the night skies by switching off unused lights at night - like landscape lighting, outdoor lights, and bright indoor lights.
