Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve invites you to explore the night sky with visiting artist and astronomy enthusiast Russell Crotty, along with assistance from his wife, Laura Gruenther.
Perched above the Gardens, our Vista Point is the perfect locale for nighttime sky observation. As dusk falls, guests will be invited to enjoy the view while Russell and Laura offer a short background on astronomy and the basics of night sky observing. Once darkness falls, they will describe the celestial objects as we view them through an array of telescopes:
- 8-inch Newtonian
- 9.25-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain
- 12.5-inch diameter Dobsonian
Depending on the time of year, attendees will observe deep-sky objects, globular clusters, galactic star clusters, nebulae, double stars, and other celestial wonders. They will also look at the major planets when they are visible.
Event details:
- Participants are welcome to arrive one hour before the start time if they wish to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy beforehand. Guests should plan to take away all food items and trash that they brought in.
- Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time. The stargazing location is a short walk or golf cart ride from the parking lot to Vista Point.
- This event often sells out, so book your tickets early. If you have booked a ticket and can no longer attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can fill your space.
- We may reschedule due to weather conditions.
- Please, no dogs or children under 12.
We look forward to a relaxed and enchanted evening with you under the stars!
About Russell Crotty / Russell Crotty Home
As a serious amateur astronomer, Russell has studied the night sky for decades, utilizing his own array of telescopes with occasional sojourns to professional observatories. In 2015-2016, he engaged in a collaborative residency co-organized by the Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS) at UC Santa Cruz, the UC Lick Observatory, Theoretical Astrophysics Santa Cruz (TASC), culminating in a solo exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art San José. Russell Crotty IAS/UCSC Residency He has made important observational contributions to accredited astronomy organizations such as NASA and ALPO (Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers). He obsessively and enthusiastically documents the night sky and celestial phenomenon within his practice as a visual artist and received a Guggenheim fellowship in 2015.