Mt. Shasta Stargazers Astronomy Club

Dedicated to promoting all aspects of amateur astronomy
for the benefit of its members and the general public.

Join Us!

Click Here to Join our Email List Click Here to Become a Member

Benefits of joining our email list

You and our astronomy club will be connected!

And we will never share your email with any other entity except our email provider.

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Get Email Invites to our monthly meetings

Currently we meet in-person at the Mt Shasta Library and also via ZOOM - you'll receive the ZOOM link and password along with the date and time. All meetings are FREE.

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Get Email Invites to Club Star Parties

Join club members as we view the wonders of the night sky through a variety of telescopes and binoculars. See what telescope is right for you. All for FREE!

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Get answers to your astronomy questions

What is that bright object in the sky? What telescope should I buy? How big is the universe? Our experienced members can answer your questions and help you understand the cosmos. Ask at our meetings, star party, or send us an email.

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Club Telescopes on Loan for FREE

Club members who have paid their dues may borrow club Telescopes for a month for Free. Currently, there are three telescopes available: the Seestar 50, a Celestron 8 inch GoTo Schmidt-Cassegrain, and a 5 inch GoTo Skywatcher Dobsonian. Borrowing one of these is a great way to test your interest in astronomy and astrophotography - Risk Free! Click HERE to reserve a club Telescope.

About Mt Shasta Stargazers Astronomy Club

Local Information about Astronomy Events in Northern California

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Our History

Mt Shasta Star Gazers was started in March 2009. Mt. Shasta is located in Siskiyou County, in far northern California, about 60 miles north of Redding, and about 60 miles south of the Oregon border, along Interstate 5. Pine-covered mountains surround our valley, with the majestic snowy volcanic peak of Mt. Shasta towering 14,162 feet high above it. The elevation of the City of Mt. Shasta is 3500 feet. We enjoy crystal clear skies and, outside the city proper, plenty of areas of very low light pollution.

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knowledgeable Club Members

Our members include absolute beginners to those that have been amateur astronomers for decades. Everyone is welcome. Let us show you the wonders of the night sky and how to observe it! We can answer almost any question you may have.

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Our Goal

The Mt Shasta Star Gazers Club promotes interest in astronomy and its related sciences, through education, fellowship among interested individuals, and through monthly meetings, free public star parties, and other events.

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Everyone is Welcome!

All are welcome to join; children (with parent or guardian), the public, amateur astronomers, educators and professional astronomers. If you are visiting Mt Shasta and would like to meet wih us, please check the Club Meetings or Star Party links to see when and where the events will occur. There is no need to register or call ahead. If you want to join the ZOOM meetings, please join our email list by clicking HERE. We will send you the login info via email a day or so before the meeting.

Monthly MeetingsNext Meeting: Tuesday July 1st, 2025 at 6:00 PM

We will meet for an in-person meeting at the Mt Shasta Library at 6:00 PM and also on ZOOM.

Topic: To be Announced

To get the ZOOM login details, be sure to join our Email List by clicking HERE.

The best way to view the Zoom meeting is by downloading the Zoom App to your computer, tablet or phone. Here is the URL for the downloading:

Get Zoom App

Choose the appropriate option for your device. The App is free. Please download the App at least 1/2 hour before the meeting since it may take a few minutes to download. If you already have the Zoom App, you might check to see if a new version is available since it is updated frequently.

FAQ

Common Astronomy Questions & Answers

  • Does this club include Astrology?

    No. Astronomy & Astrology have common roots, but diverged in the 1600s. Astronomy studies the makeup of the Universe and how those elements arise, move, & develop. Astrology attempts to study how those elements, particularly the planets, affect people & events on Earth. This club focuses on the scientific aspects of the Cosmos - not on how it affects human activities.

  • Astronomical Time Machine

    When you look at a star (or any object in space) you are seeing how it looked in the past. The Sun appears as it was 8.5 minutes ago. The view of Alpha Centauri is 4.3 years old, while the appearance of Sirius is more than 8 years old. When you look at the Andromeda Galaxy, you are seeing it as it was 2.5 million years ago!

  • How many stars can I see?

    That depends on a number of factors - especially on how dark the night sky is. In large urban areas with lots of light pollution, only the brightest stars are visible. Here in Mt Shasta, away from city lights, we have very dark skies. With reasonably good eyesight, your naked eye should see about 3000 stars. WIth binoclulars or a telescope, many more stars are visibile.

  • Why do only see one side of the moon?

    We only see one side of the moon because the moon rotates around the Earth at the exact same angular speed as it rotates around its axis so that the same side of the moon is constantly facing the surface of the Earth. If the moon didn’t rotate at all, we would see all of its sides – it would alternately show its near and far sides to Earth. The fact that the moon is rotating is the very reason that we always see the same face of the moon.

Do You Have an Astronomy Question?

Ask our team of Experts

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Special Events

Date: None scheduled at this time

Clear Sky Chart

Observing Conditions

clear Sky Chart

What is this thing?

It's the astronomer's forecast. At a glance, it shows when it will be cloudy or clear for up to the next two days. It's a prediction of when Mount Shasta, CA, will have good weather for astronomical observing.

How do I read it?

Summary: In the rows labeled "sky conditions", find a column of blue blocks. You can probably observe then.

Click HERE to see a sun and moon rise/set calendar for the Mount Shasta area.