Chico Observatory

Space and the night sky have always intrigued and puzzled astronomers, astrologists and anyone else curious about the universe. Wonderfully, Chico has become a place that’s perfect for exploring “the final frontier.”Just below Horseshoe Lake in Upper Bidwell Park, at the apt address of 1 Milky Way, is a building that may look small but can do things that are literally out of this world. The Kiwanis Chico Community Observatory (KCCO) has become known as the finest place for exploring space for families all over the Northstate.

Director Kris Koenig, Curator Anita Berkow and a number of others run the observatory as volunteers. It opened on Nov. 17, 2001, just in time for the Leonid meteor shower and was seen as a welcome addition and a technological and scientific boon that rivals observatories in larger cities.

Admission to the observatory is always free, no matter what extravagant spatial spectacle will be performing in the night sky. “It’s a place where both kids and parents can view what is happening outside of our world,” Koenig said.

Weather permitting, of course, space enthusiasts who visit the observatory will be able to view the outer limits with the observatory’s telescopes. Two 14-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes make it possible to put viewers up close and personal with stars and planets once known only as holes to heaven. From viewing other galaxies to experiencing the way in which the 60-plus moons of Jupiter orbit the immense planet, space enthusiasts will undoubtedly be amazed at the fascinating sights they see.

Funding for the project has been provided by the Greater Kiwanis Club of Chico, along with local businesses who wanted to make sure the project would be a success. Since its opening, the observatory has become a way for families to gather and become informed about what is going on around our world and throughout the universe. It’s open Thursday through Sunday from a little after sunset until 11 p.m.

Solar Sundays are now the newest attraction at the KCCO. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday viewers can see different views of the sun. Everything from solar flares that could consume our planet to dark, cool sunspots produced by powerful magnetic fields can be seen. It’s a way to view the closest star to our planet and to learn about its importance in our solar system.

There are plans in the making for building “the world’s first outdoor planetarium” on the south side of the KCCO. The sunken pit would have a seating capacity of 40, including additional seating for people with disabilities. On a nightly basis, spectators would be able to view constellations while learning about the associated mythologies and histories behind them that philosophers, astronomers and astrologists have forever questioned. Lectures could be seen nightly, with an assortment of multimedia devices aiding in learning and enjoyment.

To learn more about upcoming events like the lunar eclipse that will occur around 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 27, 2004, to make a donation or for any other information concerning the KCCO, go to www.chicoobservatory.com, or call 513-0135.