Interest in the Sky

On Saturday, August 22, almost 400 curious stargazers descended on Menghini Winery in Julian armed with red-cellophane-covered flashlights and heavy jackets, all wanting to have a peek at the night sky.

The second annual Julian Starfest, a camp-out event open to vendors and amateur astronomers, offered the opportunity to view the night sky using attendees’ telescopes and included scientific talks from the directors of local observatories.

The threatening skies of earlier in the day gave way to provide spectators with a clear viewing of the planet Jupiter and its moons, the constellations Regulus and Orion's Belt, and the Milky Way.

Most of the Saturday-evening visitors were parents with children in tow, eager to get a look at the night sky.

"Spur an interest at a young age, and they'll never tire of looking at the sky," one amateur was heard to say.