Luminaria Stargaze Returns to San Juan College, Rare Saturn View
The San Juan College luminaria stargaze returned on December 4, drawing visitors to the Connie Gotsch Memorial Courtyard for telescopes, lanterns and a seasonal public astronomy program. The event offered San Juan County residents a rare, nearly edge on view of Saturn's rings, a configuration that occurs roughly once every 15 years, making the evening both a community tradition and a distinctive educational opportunity.
Thousands of glowing paper lanterns guided visitors across the San Juan College campus on the evening of December 4, while volunteer astronomers and faculty set up telescopes in the Connie Gotsch Memorial Courtyard for the college's annual luminaria stargaze. The program, timed to coincide with the campus luminaria walk, provided a rare viewing geometry for Saturn, with its rings presented nearly edge on and easily visible through telescopes.
San Juan College astronomy assistant professor and planetarium coordinator David Mayeux, who began hosting the event in 1997, said the luminaria tradition inspired the stargaze. "When I saw that the campus lights are required to be turned off, I’m like, that’s a perfect time for a stargaze," he said. He hosted telescopes between the SJC Planetarium and the Connie Gotsch Little Theater and remained outside throughout the evening to guide visitors.
Attendees viewed Saturn, Jupiter and the rising moon, and before moonrise many participants scanned for deep sky objects including the Andromeda Galaxy, the Pleiades star cluster and the Orion Nebula. Mayeux noted the moon's brightness can limit some observing and that he adjusted targets as the sky changed. "I can definitely put a telescope on the moon when it becomes like the dominant singular thing we can see in the sky," he said.
Organizers emphasized the program's public education and community building roles during the holiday season. Mayeux said the combination of luminaries on the ground and the heavens above gives the event extra meaning. "You’re looking down at the luminaries, which is awesome, but you’re looking up at the sky. It’s just another whole dimension to the Advent time," he said. He added that audience response keeps the tradition alive. "I usually hear a lot afterward like, 'Hey, thanks for this event. It was really cool to be able to do this,'" he said.
The stargaze is free and used the same parking areas as the luminaria walk through. Weather could shorten or cancel observing if clouds, rain, snow or high winds interfered. For information about future events contact David Mayeux at 505 566 3361 or mayeuxd@sanjuancollege.edu.