Meetings and Events
May 19 - Monthly meeting at the James C. Veen Observatory, beginning at 7:30pm. The program will be...
"The Eye as an Observing Instrument"
presented by Dr. David Durkee, GRAAA
All members and guests are welcome. Following the meeting there will be observing if the skies are clear.
May 26 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.30pm - 12.00am provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon and the planet Saturn, and Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
June 5 - Transit of Venus Special Event. The GRAAA will be holding public observations of this historic event from various locations around the area. Safe viewing equipment will be on hand. This will be held only if the skies are clear. The time will be 6.00 - 9.15pm, with locations to be determined. Please check back later for location details.
June 9 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.30pm - 12.00am provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the planet Saturn, and Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
June 16 - Monthly meeting at the James C. Veen Observatory. This is the annual "Star-B-Que".
June 30 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.30pm - 12.00am provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon, the planet Saturn, and Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
July 12 - Special Meeting at Schuler Books (2660 28th St. SE), beginning at 7:30pm. The program will be...
"Planets Planets Everywhere"
presented by Zachory Kaczmarczyk Berta,
Harvard University
Zachory is a Rockford native who has graduated from Princeton University and is now a graduate student at Harvard. He will speak on the latest discoveries from his field of study - exoplanets, and explain their implications.
All members and guests are welcome. Following the meeting there will be social time in the bookstore's "Chapbook Cafe."
July 14 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.30pm - 12.00am provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon, the planet Saturn, and Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
July 21 - Monthly meeting at the James C. Veen Observatory, beginning at 8.00pm. The program will be...
"Imaging with the Borr Telescope"
presented by Jose Borrero
All members and guests are welcome. Following the meeting there will be observing if the skies are clear.
July 28 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.30pm - 12.00am provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon, the planet Saturn, and Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
August 11 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.00pm - 11.30pm provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
August 18 - Monthly meeting at the James C. Veen Observatory, beginning at 8.00pm. The program will be...
"Low Frequency Radio Astronomy-The New Frontier "
presented by Jim Van Prooyen
Some of today's new radio telescopes are beaming to lower frequencies, providing new views of the radio sky.
All members and guests are welcome. Following the meeting there will be observing if the skies are clear.
August 25 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 9.00pm - 11.30pm provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon, and Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
September 8 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 8.00pm - 10.30pm provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
September 15 - Monthly meeting at the James C. Veen Observatory, beginning at 8.00pm. This will be a Member's Star Party, and members are encouraged to bring your telescopes. If it is cloudy, we will have a "Star Bowl" quiz show.
September 21-22, 26-28 - Special Event: ArtPrize Moonwatch. Sidewalk Astronomy returns to downtown Grand Rapids as members of the GRAAA take their telescopes to the streets, showing the ArtPrize crowds and Moon and other wonders of the Universe.
September 29 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 8.00pm - 10.30pm provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon and possibly Deep Sky objects such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
October 13 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 7.30pm - 10:00pm provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the planets Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune, and Deep Sky objects such as the Andromeda Galaxy and various star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
October 20 - Special Meeting at Schuler Books (2660 28th St. SE), beginning at 7:00pm. The program will be...
"Waiting for the Big One: The Next Milky Way Supernova"
presented by Dr. Horace Smith,
Michigan State University
We are overdue for a supernova in our galaxy. Dr. Smith will give insight into when the next supernova might occur and what will happen when it does.
All members and guests are welcome. Following the meeting there will be social time in the bookstore's "Chapbook Cafe."
October 27 - Public Night at the James C. Veen Observatory from 7.30pm - 10:00pm provided the sky is clear. Featured objects will be the Moon, the planets Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune, and Deep Sky objects such as the Andromeda Galaxy and various star clusters and nebulas. For more information, see the Public Night page.
November 17 - Special Meeting at Schuler Books (2660 28th St. SE), beginning at 7:00pm. The program will be...
"Astronomy's Second Golden Age of Discovery -- 1995 to the Present"
presented by Dave DeBruyn,
GRAAA
In a sequel to his presentation last November, Dave discusses impressive recent discoveries and the advanced technology that made them possible.
All members and guests are welcome. Following the meeting there will be social time in the bookstore's "Chapbook Cafe."
December 8 - Saturnalia Saturday. Details TBA