Birmingham Astronomical Society
Encyclopedia
The Birmingham Astronomical Society was founded in 1977 in Birmingham, Alabama (USA)
, by amateur astronomers. Monthly meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. at the Samford University
Planetarium
on the third Tuesday of each month. Monthly observing sessions (see star party
), are held at dark sky site called Chandler Mountain (approximately 50 miles northeast of Birmingham) or at Oak Mountain State Park
just south of Birmingham. There is also a Birmingham Astronomical Society based in the UK, which meets in the basement of Aston University, near Birmingham (UK)
city centre every Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m.
The club seeks to promote and educate the public about astronomy
, as well as providing members with a meaninful opportunity to learn and observe on their own.
The clubs proximity to Huntsville
and the Marshall Space Flight Center
and United States Space & Rocket Center
afford its members unique opportunities for education.
, which is an all night observing session where members try to locate and document the entire Messier Catalog.
Members braved near freezing (or colder) temperatures and bitter winds, but the event was a great success.
Dues are: $25 a year for families, $20 a year for individuals and $12 a year for students."
Applications are available on the website. See link below.
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, by amateur astronomers. Monthly meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. at the Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
Planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
on the third Tuesday of each month. Monthly observing sessions (see star party
Star party
A star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers for the purpose of observing the sky. Local star parties may be one night affairs, but larger events can last up to a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of participants. Many regional star parties are now held annually and are an...
), are held at dark sky site called Chandler Mountain (approximately 50 miles northeast of Birmingham) or at Oak Mountain State Park
Oak Mountain State Park
Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama's largest state park at . It is located in Pelham, Alabama and is convenient to Birmingham, Alabama's largest city....
just south of Birmingham. There is also a Birmingham Astronomical Society based in the UK, which meets in the basement of Aston University, near Birmingham (UK)
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
city centre every Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m.
The club seeks to promote and educate the public about astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, as well as providing members with a meaninful opportunity to learn and observe on their own.
The clubs proximity to Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
and the Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
and United States Space & Rocket Center
United States Space & Rocket Center
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is a museum showcasing rockets, achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program. The facility is also home to United States Space Camp and Aviation Challenge...
afford its members unique opportunities for education.
Events
In the Spring of 2006 the club held its first annual Messier marathonMessier marathon
A Messier marathon is an attempt, usually organized by amateur astronomers, to find as many Messier objects as possible during one night. The Messier catalogue was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier during the late 18th century and consists of 110 relatively bright deep sky objects...
, which is an all night observing session where members try to locate and document the entire Messier Catalog.
Members braved near freezing (or colder) temperatures and bitter winds, but the event was a great success.
Membership
According to the club website, "Membership in the Birmingham Astronomical Society is open to anyone with an interest in astronomy.You do not have to own a scope or have a knowledge of astronomy to enjoy the wonders of the night sky.Dues are: $25 a year for families, $20 a year for individuals and $12 a year for students."
Applications are available on the website. See link below.