Observatory Retreat near Joshua Tree

06/24/2024

We were out for today’s launch with our favorite Kerbal :)

09/15/2023

The v***r trail left by the Firefly Alpha launch 9/14/23. The propellant contains RP1 which has a reddish color, and liquid oxygen which is blue. The color really stands out when the sunlight hits it, and we can tell what the gas is made up of simply by examining its specific color.

The nebulae we see in space are made up mostly of hydrogen alpha (also red) and oxygen 3 (blue). Their colors also stand out (mostly to our cameras) when illuminated by the starlight around them, and that’s how we know what’s floating around out there!

08/28/2023

The majestic Swan Nebula from our backyard.

08/23/2023

Tonight’s Moon at 80X and 240X.
iPhone camera held up to the eyepiece. No edits, no filters.

08/05/2023

Starry Starry Night 🎶
From our deck, no edits, no filters. We have binoculars for our guests to enjoy! 🪐👽

03/02/2023

There a show tonight “star-ing” Jupiter & Venus! 😂

02/09/2023

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream." -Vincent Van Gogh

02/07/2023

When you book a visit, we'll send you the official Observatory Retreat guidebook that's *packed* with helpful tips for checkin, getting to know the area, and of course, fool-proof instructions for using the observatory. But the best part is our custom guide to "must-see celestial objects" tailored to your stay. Our planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe are in constant motion, so what's available to see in the night sky is always changing, too. We love helping you make the most of the whole experience!

02/05/2023

There's simply nothing quite like the grandeur of the California desert sky. Where's your favorite place to gaze up at it from?

02/03/2023

Who wants to snag some swag?! This cool set of four coasters was printed right here at Observatory Retreat HQ so you can raise a glass while you dream up your next getaway! Head over to Instagram to enter .

02/01/2023

Quails, jackrabbits, and roadrunners, oh my!

01/30/2023

When we say there's something at the Observatory Retreat for just about everyone (besides, well, the observatory!), we mean it. Foosball, air hockey, arcade games, a hot tub, bocce ball and so much more. What's your favorite way to pass the time on vacation?

01/27/2023

For well over 100 years, National Geographic has inspired, educated, and enlightened us. It's helped us explore the world -- and the great beyond -- in all its beauty and awe. Today, we pay homage to the iconic magazine. Happy !
📷: Milky Way over Joshua Tree National Park by

01/25/2023

Say goodbye to light pollution and hello to one of the best stargazing spots in the world. shorturl.at/gklyZ ✨

01/23/2023

Let's face it: What's a great getaway without a few perfectly-captioned photo opps along the way? From a stunning national park to some kitschy "wild, wild west" vibes, the areas surrounding our property are an Instagrammer's dream. These are just a few of our faves -- ask us for tips on visiting any of these gorgeous spots.
Left to right:
-the iconic Joshua Tree everywhere you look (📷: )
-Pioneertown (📷: Architectural Digest )
-Skull Rock (📷: )
-Cholla Cactus Garden (📷: Teagan Maddux)..and of course, Observatory Retreat's very own famously-photographed wall!

01/22/2023

"Seeing the stars and moon like that was truly a once-in-a-lifetime and profoundly moving experience." –Guest Stephanie

Gung hay fat choy, friends! Today begins the colorful two-week celebration of Lunar New Year 🧧 We send wishes for prosperity and health to those who are celebrating this new moon worldwide. Want to make Observatory Retreat your moongazing home base? 🌖 Check availability here: shorturl.at/ijrG4

📸:

01/21/2023

We love providing an out-of-this-world experience for our guests at Observatory Retreat! ❤️🔭⭐👽

01/19/2023

I love you to the moon and back. You’re out of this world, baby!
Anyone else love a good romantic astronomy pun? 🌝

Pack a bag and grab your sweetheart! We’ve got availability over Valentine’s Day weekend and we can heart-ly wait to see you ❤️ shorturl.at/dAPY8

📸: The Whole World is a Playground (Heart Rock, Joshua Tree)

01/19/2023

We’re ready for you Comet C/2022 E3! For guests staying between January 21-February 15, we’ve got special instructions to ensure you see this rare treat at its best (weather permitting). Book now for January 29-31 -- otherwise, you’ll have to wait another 50,000 years to see the green comet! shorturl.at/bmsX8

📷: Newsweek

01/18/2023

'Cuz sometimes, you just need some space. 🌙✨⭐️

12/11/2022

Who’s watching Orion right now?🙋‍♀️🙋🏻‍♂️

10/27/2022

Saturn's rings are disappearing! 🪐
Well, sort of...
From Earth's perspective, Saturn appears to wobble back and forth because its orbit around the Sun is at a different angle than Earth's. It takes nearly 3 decades to complete a full "wobble".
Saturn is up in the night sky right now for the next couple of months.
It's the perfect time to see those beautiful rings! 🔭🪐

10/25/2022

Perfect weather for getting a new picture of Jupiter. Stay tuned!

10/19/2022

Speechless
📷

Entire home in Yucca Valley, United States. *Rare OMG! Airbnb* Often described as the best Airbnb for peering into deep space, Observatory Retreat is a unique first-of-a-kind experience that...

10/03/2022

Yes! You CAN take amazing pictures by just pointing your phone’s camera into the telescope’s eyepiece. Here’s one we took tonight!

09/22/2022

Now is the perfect time to check out Jupiter. Viewing will be amazing for the next few months! Here’s a recent photo we captured.

08/27/2022

When your vacation rental includes an out-of-this-world bouncer... 👽

07/06/2022

Teaching the next generation! 🔭🪐⭐️

06/29/2022

So what exactly is a globular cluster?

Back when our galaxy formed, not everything ended up swirling in the same direction and forming the spiral shape as we know it. Some stars formed and clumped together, flying around the center of galaxy out-of-plane.

These clumps of stars are what we call globular clusters. They can consist of hundreds of thousands of stars in a single cluster, and there are many of these clusters just buzzing around the Milky Way like fireflies. They are extremely dense with stars and spectacular to look at.

One of the most well-known “globs” in the Northern Hemisphere is M13, The Great Hercules Globular Cluster. It’s quite bright, and with the telescope at Observatory Retreat you can actually see individual stars in the cluster rather than just one big “fuzz ball”. M13 is now entering its prime viewing time in the night sky and will be overhead for the next few months.

The 2nd picture in this post is a longer exposure photo of M13.

05/16/2022

👀at this amazing shot of the lunar eclipse taken by our wonderful guest from the telescope at our onsite observatory! So amazing!