Community

No Kings Day Rally - Aliso Viejo

By Michael Schlesinger

On June 14th on a hot midday afternoon, approximately 3,600 people attended a “No Kings Rally” in Aliso Viejo. The address for the rally was scheduled on the street in front of the parking lot for Tesla parking lot on Aliso Creek Road; however, because a tremendous crowd of people showed up with the protest swelling to about 3,600 people, individuals occupied both sides of the street for about ½ mile. The crowd was diverse with mothers carrying their babies; women and men of all ages; teenagers; kids accompanying their parents; veterans wearing their hats; college kids; blacks; Hispanics; Asians; whites; senior citizens; disabled people in wheelchairs and on canes; and LGBTQs. Virtually, everyone had a sign protesting their dismay with this country. More

CAPO School Board Racism

By Stacy Holmes

As the April meeting of the Capistrano Unified School Board approached, the use of the N-word by CAPO Board Vice President Judy Bollukus at the March meeting loomed heavily over the community. Rather than resign or accept any formal discipline from the Board, a bizarre charade was orchestrated for the April meeting.

The Board sets aside 20 minutes for public comments in general and 20 more for public comments for each agenda item. Speakers are allowed 1 minute each. Student speakers are given precedence over other speakers if more than 20 speakers sign up to speak. Almost all 20 slots for the general comments as well as the 20 additional slots for an agenda item to set up to establish a discussion of censure of Bollukus at a future meeting were filled by CAPO students whose handlers had arranged for them to be signed up as speakers hours before the meeting started.

Griffiths Observatory

This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the period between May 1 and May 31, 2025. Here are the events happening in the sky of southern California.

Mercury rises in the east at 5:06 a.m., PDT, on the 1st, and the sun rises at 6:03 a.m., PDT, 57 minutes later. The planet spends the entire month of May close to the sun, and it is not safe to observe it. Do not observe any planet when it comes close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.

Venus rises in the east at 4:09 a.m., PDT, on the 1st, one hour 54 minutes before the sun rises. The planet is 29-percent illuminated and 36-arcseconds wide. On the 31st, Venus rises in the east at 3:27 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 5:43 a.m., PDT, two hours 16 minutes later. Venus is 49-percent-illuminated and 24-arcseconds wide.

Mars moves from Cancer the Crab to Leo the Lion on the 25th. On the 1st, the sun sets at 7:38 p.m., PDT, and Mars sets in the west-northwest at 1:52 a.m., PDT. The planet is 90-percent illuminated and 6.6-arcseconds wide. On the 31st, the sun sets at 7:59 p.m., PDT, and Mars sets in the west-northwest at 12:39 a.m., PDT. The planet is 91-percent illuminated and 5.6-arcseconds wide. A telescope with a magnification of 200x is needed to see the disk. On Saturday evening, the 3rd, the large open star cluster Messier 44 (M44) is 33 arcminutes south of Mars, and the moon is two degrees 30 arcminutes east-northeast of Mars. All three are nearly overhead at 8:00 p.m., PDT. Binoculars are needed to see M44. Griffith Observatory and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society will host a star party. The public can view this conjunction through the supplied telescopes. On the evening of the 4th, M44 is 40 arcminutes south of Mars.

Jupiter is in Taurus the Bull. On the 1st, Jupiter sets in the west-northwest at 10:45 p.m., PDT, and is 33-arcseconds wide. On the 31st, the planet sets in the west-northwest at 9:16 p.m., PDT. A telescope capable of magnification 50x will show the Red Spot, and the four bright Galilean moons also can be seen moving back and forth, across and behind Jupiter.

Saturn is in Pisces the Fishes. On the 1st, Saturn rises in the east at 4:15 a.m., PDT. On the 31st, the planet rises at 2:24 a.m., PDT, and is 16-arcseconds wide. The rings and Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, may be seen with a telescope capable of magnification 50x.

Uranus sets in the west-northwest at 8:46 p.m., PDT, one hour eight minutes after the sun sets. The planet remains close to the sun for the rest of the month and it is not safe to observe it. Do not observe any planet when it comes close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.

Neptune is in Pisces the Fishes. On the 1st, Neptune rises in the east at 4:20 a.m., PDT, and on the 31st, the planet rises in the east at 2:24 a.m., PDT, and is 2.2-arcseconds wide. On the 15th, Neptune is at Right Ascension 0h 7m 31s, declination -0° 35ʹ 10ʺ. A telescope with a magnification of 200x is needed to see its disk.

The first quarter moon occurs on the 4th, full moon on the 12th, last quarter on the 20th, and new moon on the 26th.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Lunar-X is visible for a few hours on the 4th, starting at 6:35 p.m., PDT. Lunar-X is a feature on the first quarter moon just within the dark half of the moon and midway between the center point and the southern edge. It is due to the rims of two craters illuminated by the sun. A telescope with a magnification of 50x or more is needed to see it.

In the major lunar standstill of 2024-2025, the May northernmost moon occurs twice. The first occurs when the waxing crescent moon rises on the 1st, at 9:12 a.m., PDT, and sets on the 2nd, at 12:37 a.m., PDT. The moon is two days from first quarter.

The second occurs when the waxing crescent moon rises on the 28th, at 6:52 a.m., PDT, and sets on the same date at 10:22 p.m., PDT. The moon is only two days past new moon, and observations will be difficult.

The May southernmost moon also occurs twice.

The first occurs when the waning gibbous moon sets on the 14th, 6:51 a.m., PDT, and rises on the same date at 10:12 p.m., PDT. The moon is two days past full phase.

The second occurs when the waning gibbous moon sets on the 15th, at 7:40 a.m., PDT, and rises on the same date at 11:06 p.m., PDT. The moon is three days past full phase. Griffith Observatory will broadcast the southernmost moonrise on May 14 but has no plans for public events or web broadcasts for the other May standstills.

For details on the major lunar standstill, please visit the website at https://griffithobservatory.org/extreme-moon-the-major-lunar-standstills-of-2024-2025/

The eta Aquariid meteor shower will occur from the night of April 20 through May 21. The meteors come from comet Halley. They are named for the star in Aquarius the Water Bearer, from which they appear to originate. The shower is best seen from the southern hemisphere. From the northern hemisphere, it usually produces medium rates of 10 to 30 meteors per hour just before dawn. The meteors are swift with a high percentage of persistent trains but few fireballs. The peak occurs from the evening of the 3rd through the morning of the 4th. The first quarter moon, 44-percent illuminated, will not interfere with observations after midnight.

Follow All Space Considered and Griffith Observatory on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for updates on astronomy and space-related events.

MV Residential Real Estate

Residential Real Estate Sales in Mission Viejo May 2025

Realtor.com reports 1202 homes for sale in Mission Viejo and 577 for rent. The median listing and sale price is currently $1.2M or $659 per square foot. Sales have slowed. Homes in Mission Viejo sell after an average of 41 days on the market, up from last month and higher than last year.

Within Mission Viejo neighborhoods vary. Casta del Sol has a median listing price of $940K, Palmia $945, Oso Valley Greenbelt $1.2M, Canyon Estates $2.1M, Painted Trails $1.1.

30 year fixed rate mortgages are advertised at 6.2% and up. The economy may be headed toward the stagflation cycle not seen since Richard Nixon was President. The Federal Reserve might normally reduce rates to stimulate our shrinking domestic economy, but tariffs driven and corporate greed keep inflation high and rising higher. Normally the Federal Reserve would increase interest rates to slow inflation. With one indicator pointing toward raising rates and another toward reducing rates, the Federal Reserve finds itself unable to relieve the shrinking economy, including residential real estate sales. Stagflation.

Prior Community Posts

Gas Powered Lawn Equipment Noise More

3AM ICE Raid More

Saddleback College Supports Diversity, Inclusion & Equity More

CAPO Board Meeting Jan 2025 More

CAPO Board Meeting Dec 2024 More

Feeding Mission Viejo’s Homeless More

Seaweed: Nature’s Ancient Organic Fertilizer More

California Bans School Disclosure of Gender Identity More

New CA Laws Effective 7/1/24 More

Habitat for Humanity More

CHOCtopia 2024 Review

Have You Met The Cooper’s Hawk? Read Full Article

February 2024 Residential Real Estate Report

January 2024 Residential Real Estate Report More

December Residential Real Estate Report More

Real Estate Report - November 2023 More

Lion King Junior Production November 2023 More

Real Estate Report October 2023 More

Real Estate Report August 2023 More

Real Estate Report July, 2023 More

It’s Girl Scout Cookie Time 2023 More