Cloud cover cancels the sky-observing portion of this event.

To the public:  The Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy ("MIRA") hosts this annual "open-house"-style event at its Oliver Observing Station on Chews Ridge in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  The event includes a tour of the facility, views through MIRA"s 36" telescope, and observing through other telescopes, hosted by members of the MIRA Astronomy Club.  The drive to the event includes about six miles of unpaved dirt/gravel road.  The entrance gate at the intersection of Tassajara Road and Chews Ridge Road will close shortly after the start of this event, and will not re-open until after the event has ended.  Guest parking is in a meadow down the hill from the observatory.

From the MIRA website:
 
As indicated above, this event is open only to "Friends of MIRA" (those who have made a donation to MIRA in the last twelve months).  See below for an exception.



Notes to MIRA Astronomy Club members:  Volunteers are needed for this event!  MIRA Astronomy Club members who are willing to participate in a public-star-party-like even with their own telescopes are invited to attend this event for free, without a reservation.  If you are interested in participating, email mac@mira.org by Thursday, August 29th.

Plan to arrive at Oliver Observing Station prior to the start of the public event.  Telescopes may be set up and vehicles may be parked in the areas shown in the map below.  Note the steep grade approaching the mountain top.



Participating club members may stay after the end of the public event for a late-night or all-night observing session.  Take advantage of this rare access to one of the darkest professional observing sites in the continental U.S.  (Click here for more information about this site.)

The entrance gate to the area closes at 2:00am, opening again only after 10:00am on Sunday morning.  There is a bathroom available in the observatory.  Cell phone coverage is spotty, at best.