Planets Come Alive in 2025

Westmont’s first monthly stargazing event of 2025 features Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Orion’s nebula and the Owl Cluster on Friday, Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m. and lasting several hours at the Westmont Observatory. Along with the college’s powerful Keck Telescope, members of the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit bring their telescopes to share with the public.

“It amazes me how the phases of the moon are mirrored between the northern and southern hemispheres,” says Jen Ito, assistant professor of physics, who recently returned from Chile where she watched a waxing moon.

Free parking is available near the Westmont Observatory, which is between the baseball field and the track and field/soccer complex. To enter Westmont's campus, please use the Main Entrance off of La Paz Road. The lower entrance off of Cold Springs Road is closed to visitors after 7 p.m.