A community of amateur astronomers sharing the wonder of the night sky with the central Willamette Valley. Monthly meetings, star parties, public outreach, and a passion for the cosmos.
What's Coming Up
Join us for meetings, star parties, and virtual observing sessions. See the full 2026 schedule →
Watch your HVAAstronomy groups.io email or Facebook for confirmations and weather updates.
Night Sky Guide
Step outside this month and catch these highlights — no telescope required for most!
| Date | Time | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| 16–17 | All night | The Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak. The nearly first-quarter Moon won’t interfere with viewing opportunities — a great year for the Leonids! |
| 18 | Morning | After clearing the east-northeastern horizon, Mars and Jupiter climb together into the south, with a little more than 1° separating the pair. |
| 24 | Morning | High in the west, the full Moon hangs around 2° lower right of the Pleiades. Binoculars will help you tease out the cluster stars from the dazzle of the nearby Moon. |
| 26 | Morning | In the east, Mars and Regulus pair up to form an isosceles triangle with Jupiter, spanning a bit less than 4°. |
| 27 | Evening | The waning gibbous Moon, Pollux, and Castor form a line about 10° long. Look to the east to take in this sight. |
| 30 | Morning | Low above the eastern horizon, the waning Moon, just shy of last quarter, Jupiter, and Mars cluster around Regulus. The separation between the Moon and Mars is some 6°. |
All times are PDT. Check the Clear Dark Sky chart and local weather before heading out.
This Month's Constellation
High overhead on September evenings, Cygnus soars along the Milky Way, marked by the brilliant star Deneb and the Northern Cross asterism.
Cygnus represents a swan flying along the Milky Way, its long neck and outstretched wings traced by the Northern Cross asterism. Its brightest star, Deneb, is one of the most luminous supergiants known and forms one corner of the Summer Triangle.
Along Cygnus's wingspan lies rich Milky Way star fields, along with deep-sky targets like the North America Nebula and the Veil Nebula, a supernova remnant visible with a telescope and filter under dark skies.
Don't miss Albireo, the star marking the swan's head — a striking double star that splits into gold and blue components in a small telescope.
Learn more about Cygnus →About the Club
The Heart of the Valley Astronomers (HVAA) is a community of amateur astronomers in the central Willamette Valley of Oregon, dedicated to sharing our passion for the night sky with the local community.
We welcome everyone — beginners with binoculars, experienced deep-sky observers, astrophotographers, and those who simply love looking up. No telescope? No problem.
The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month, either via Zoom or in person at the Scott Zimbrick Memorial Fire Station 5: 4950 NW Fair Oaks Drive, Corvallis, OR 97330.
We also run telescope tune-up nights, educational outreach for schools, and regular star parties at dark-sky sites like Adair County Park.
Explore
Everything you need to get the most out of the night sky.