North Bay observatory stargazers ready for total lunar eclipse
KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA
March 13, 2025 – Stargazers in the Bay Area and much of the country are readying for Thursday night’s total lunar eclipse, in particular an observatory in the North Bay. Brian Hackney reports.
The Witching Hour: The magic of dark skies
Kenwood Press
January 15, 2025 – While the hills that cup the observatory shield it from night light originating in Sonoma Valley, RFO volunteers pay close attention to light pollution emanating from farther afield, and have noticed an increase in the size of light domes from nearby urban areas, particularly in the southern sky.
Parks after dark: Top California state parks for stargazing
California State Parks Foundation
September 10, 2024 – Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, nestled in the hills, is home to the Robert Ferguson Observatory (named after a Sonoma County amateur astronomer) which is the largest observatory in the western United States dedicated solely to public programming. The park is located in the Mayacamas Mountains (which divide the Sonoma and Napa Valleys) — these mountains protect against light pollution from the nearby San Francisco Bay Area.
North Bay Biz
June 3, 2024 – After having lived a full life in Petaluma, Robert Ferguson passed away in 1993. He was a remarkable man. His daughter Colleen, an RFO volunteer, docent and board member, has fond memories of him…Dad also loved science fiction stories, including the original Star Trek. He talked about how astronomy put things in perspective how whatever he was stressed about during the day, melted away when he stargazed at night.
Greetings From the Robert Ferguson Observatory
NorCal Public Media
May 26, 2024 – The observatory was started about 28 years ago by a group of community members. There’s the name of Robert Ferguson because he was an amateur astronomer who really wanted to inspire, especially youth, to study the stars.
Talking Stars in the Valley of the Moon: Robert Ferguson Observatory’s Stephanie Derammelaere
The Sonoma Spiel
May 20, 2024 – Not many places have a professional-level, volunteer-run observatory open to the public. But not many places have the Robert Ferguson Observatory. Luckily, Sonoma Valley does. Executive Director Stephanie Derammelaere explains the mission of the observatory, how it came to be, why Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a good place to see planets and stars and galaxies, and how visitors can come up and see the heavens during various events.She also details how visitors can take a walk that outlines the scale model size of the solar system.Like all of our podcast guests she also answers YOUR Sonoma questions during “We Get Questions.” It’s Sonoma Valley’s top podcast and you find it wherever you find fine podcasts, including Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UuskGhmJ3EkWQk8DObR9b
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSa7rAVobsI8O_3xp7hIDPKRO9nBuvNF
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sonoma-spiel/id1634467429?i=1000655719598
Rohnert Park fifth grader takes home new telescope as winner of the Striking Sparks competition
Sonoma County Gazette
May 3, 2024 – Carina Xu, a fifth grader at Rohnert Park’s Richard Crane Elementary School won first place in the 2024 Striking Sparks competition and was awarded a new, easy-to-use, 5.3-inch reflecting Dobsonian mount telescope.
The Community Voice
April 19, 2024 – Robert Ferguson Observatory (RFO) chose a Rohnert Park student as the recipient in this year’s Striking Sparks competition, a program that awards telescopes to Sonoma County students to promote science education and interest in astronomy. The 2024 winner is Carina Xu, a 5th grader at Richard Crane Elementary School.
Radio Interview with Stephanie Derammelaere Talking About the Eclipse
KZST Morning ShowApril 8, 2024 – Since that path of totality is very small, the chance that it will occur at some specific location is very low. For example, Santa Rosa may have to wait many centuries for a path of totality to fall specifically through here…A lot of our docents are gone for the next couple weeks for this.
Three treks on terra firma take you closer to the stars
SPACE Premium Edition, Mercury News
January 21, 2024 – The Robert Ferguson Observatory (RFO) in Sonoma County is truly a citizen’s observatory. Named for Bob Ferguson, an amateur Petaluma astronomer who built telescopes for children, it holds the largest publicly accessible telescope in Northern California. The observatory’s grounds in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park are home to a unique citizen-designed hike as well: the Planet Walk. It’s a 4.5-mile journey that simulates the distances between our sun and the planets, with each step you take representing 1 million miles.
Hidden Sonoma County Gems to Discover in Fall
Via, AAA Magazine
September + October 2023 – “With several powerful telescopes, the observatory is the largest in Northern California completely dedicated to public viewing.”
Sonoma County residents get glimpse of Ring of Fire eclipse
Photo Credit: Kent Porter, The Press Democrat
The Press Democrat
October 14, 2023 – “It was really cool, pretty emotional”, said Eric McHenry, who joined about 150 people at an eclipse viewing party at the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Kenwood’s Sugarloaf State Park.
Kenwood observatory hosting solar eclipse party Saturday
Photo Credit: David Kent, AP Photo/The Forth Worth Star-Telegram
The Press Democrat
October 11, 2023 – While the “ring of fire” effect. when the moon crosses in front of the sun but does not fully cover it, that occurs during annular eclipses won’t be fully visible in Sonoma County, locals will see a partial eclipse, said Jack Welch, a docent at the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Kenwood’s Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
Seeing Stars! Dark-sky camping for the best stargazing
Airstream Life
Fall 2023 Issue– “When we have public stargazing programs at the observatory, most people don’t care about the nebulae, galaxies and double stars that are really far away, but they’re excited to see Jupiter, the Big Dipper, Mars, Saturn’s rings, and everyday constellations like Cassiopeia and Pisces.” – Eric McHenry, International President of Airstream Club International and Board President of the Robert Ferguson Observatory
57 Magazine
July 17, 2023 – While the exquisite fruits of Sonoma County’s soil draw visitors from around the world, there is also endless wonder to be found in the county’s skies.
Teen musicians rock Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater to benefit Robert Ferguson Observatory
Photo Credit: Darryl Bush, The Press Democrat
The Press Democrat
May 10, 2023 – Teen musicians rocked out in Petaluma May 6 in support of an organization helping young people reach for the stars.
Meteor shower, “Flower Moon” in the skies this week above Northern California
Photo Credit: Ted S. Warren, AP Photo
The Press Democrat
May 4, 2023 – “The significance of having several events in the sky at once is simply that it is more exciting to go out and look up at the sky,” Rachel Freed, amateur astronomer, educator and docent at Robert Ferguson Observatory in Kenwood, wrote in an email.
From Planning to Stargazing: Everything You Need to Know About DIY Backyard Observatories
Porch
April 14, 2023 – For many telescope enthusiasts, space photographers, and amateur astronomers, stargazing is more than just a hobby: it’s a passion.
The Lyrids Are Our First Chance to See Some Shooting Stars This Year
Photo Credit: Jeff Sullivan via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Bay Nature
April 13, 2023 – Born of comets, meteors are the little specks of dust that could.
Five Striking Sparks winners to be awarded telescopes
The Community Voice
March 24, 2023 – This is the 38th year of the competition, a program facilitated by the Robert Ferguson Observatory that awards telescopes to Sonoma County students to promote science education and interest in astronomy.
At This Sonoma Park, You Can Walk to Pluto
Bay Nature
March 22, 2023 – The cosmos awaits you at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
3 Sonoma students honored by astronomy program
Sonoma Index Tribune
April 6, 2022 – Three Sonoma Valley students were awarded telescopes Thursday by Striking Sparks, a program that promotes science education and interest in astronomy.
The Community Voice
April 15, 2022 – Five Students Awarded Telescopes at the Striking Sparks Ceremony.
Sonoma County Gazette
January 21, 2022 – Robert Ferguson Observatory Announces Access Program for Low-Income Families.
Robert Ferguson Observatory joins Museums for All
Sonoma Index-Tribune
Photo Credit: Robbi Pengelly / Index-Tribune
January 20, 2022 – The Robert Ferguson Observatory has joined Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums, to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits.
Explore the night sky at Robert Ferguson Observatory in Kenwood
The Press Democrat
Photo Credit: Kent Porter / The Press Democrat
October 1, 2021 – On a recent weekday night inside a dark, open-roofed dome at Robert Ferguson Observatory, longtime volunteer David Kensiski turned a 40-inch-diameter telescope toward the first planetary nebula he discovered when he was 15 years old.
RFO opens up the eyes of the world
Sonoma Index-Tribune
July 8, 2021 – Even the heavens are glad the pandemic is in remission — with well over half of Sonoma County fully vaccinated, it’s time to reopen the doors of the big scopes to the public at Robert Ferguson Observatory on Saturday, July 10.
Firefighters build defenses to protect Robert Ferguson Observatory from Glass fire
The Press Democrat
Photo Credit: Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat
September 30, 2020 – Tree branches were still smoldering on the ground about 20 yards behind Robert Ferguson Observatory on Wednesday afternoon, their moon-like ash providing blips of contrast to the blackened hillsides where firefighters had spent two days doing controlled burns.
Northbay Biz
December 26, 2019 – “The Robert Ferguson Observatory is one of Sonoma County’s best kept secrets.”