WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE OF
PALO VERDE COLLEGE'S

We're a group of amateur astronomers working to bring the wonders of our desert skies to the people of Blythe and the Palo Verde Valley. The Colorado River Astronomy Club was started under the auspices of Palo Verde College. To visit their website please click on our logo above.

DISCOVERED BY AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER IN 2004

MCNEIL'S NEBULA

The graphic above depicts MCNeil's Nebula. This object was discovered in early 2004 by Jay McNeil, an accomplished amateur astronomer in Western Kentucky. It is not only a newly discovered nebula, but is also an actual new nebula. Photographs of the nebula's area taken before McNeil's discovery show no indication of the object. A discovery such as McNeil's Nebula is a once in a lifetime event for an amateur astronomer. Tens of thousands, however, some right here in Blythe and the Palo Verde Valley, search the skies every night hoping to match or even exceed Jay McNeil's accomplishment. For the complete story of this historic find in McNeil's own words, please click on the graphic.

LUNAR CRATER TYCHO AND THE WALLED PLAIN CLAVIUS

PICTURE BY FLOIE BARROWS MAY 29, 1966

The image above was taken on May 29, 1966 by Floie Barrows right here in Blythe. It shows the lunar crater Tycho (85 km diameter), the radiant of one of our moon's most prominent ray systems. Just above it is the walled plain Clavius (225 km diameter) with its semi circle of small craters inside its wall. Between the two and a bit to the left is the large crater Maginus (163 km diameter). An RV6 6" Newtonian Reflector and TriX ASA 400 film were used to record the afocal image. A click on the picture will magnify it.

HOW'S ASTRONOMICAL SEEING CONDITIONS IN BLYTHE

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR BLYTHE'S CLEAR SKY CLOCK

It is our hope you'll take a few minutes and explore our website. We'll tell you about amateur astronomy, and show you some more great pictures. Just about every graphic on this website is clickable. Some will take you to additional information relating to the subject matter on that page, and some will magnify the image clicked on. Who knows? You might want to attend one of our meetings or star parties. You may even choose to join us.