Welcome to VBAS!
The Von Braun Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization of amateur and professional astronomers. We are sharing our love of space with the community through our planetarium and observatories located in Monte Sano State Park just east of Huntsville, Alabama.
Latest News
Night At The Observatory
Our “Night At The Observatory” is a personalized program that allows small groups to experience an evening of imaging and observing deep-sky objects of their choice and keep all the photos captured using our historic Swanson 21″ telescope. Click here for more information.
- Silent Auction is Live!Our silent auction is now live! We have astronomy, STEM and awesome items, plus some cool experiences available. Check it out: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-vbas-celestial-celebration-silent-auction Bidding closes at 6:30pm on the 26th of September. We may still add more items, so check back often and spread the word!
- Astronomy Day 2025September 27th, 1-5; 7:30 – 9 pm Von Braun Astronomical Society will celebrate Astronomy Day on September 27th in person at Monte Sano State Park! Daytime events (between 1 – 5 pm) will include: mini-planetarium shows, Telescope tours, and Meteor radar demos. Evening events (between 7:30 – 9 pm) will include a keynote speech followed… Read more: Astronomy Day 2025
- Member Meeting – July 18Join us on Friday July 18, 2025 at 7:30 pm at the VBAS Planetarium for our monthly member meeting. Admission is open to the public. NASA Meteor Monitoring at VBAS Our topic will be: NASA Meteor Monitoring at VBAS with NASA specialist Dr. Bill Cooke. The Global Meteor Network is a Canada based project with… Read more: Member Meeting – July 18
Donate to the VBAS Stars for All Endowment Fund
VBAS established an agency fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville in 2024. VBAS is the sole beneficiary of the distributions from this fund, which is used to provide long term financial stability for our organization. Your donation will help continue VBAS operations well into the future.
Upcoming Shows
- November 2025 Planetarium Shows
All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.
Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.
Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.
November 1st – Spooky Skies
Boo! Join us for a fun and child-friendly look at the scarier side of the autumn night sky. Learn about ancient traditions based on observations of the night sky and take a look at some scary nebulas! Costumes for ages 12 and under welcome. Treats available after the show.
Presented by Beth Bero
November 8th – The History of VBAS
In honor of VBAS 70th Anniversary our program tonight will highlight some of the history of our organization.
Presented by Gena Crook
November 15th – Stars Fell on Alabama
Come celebrate our Alabama heritage as seen through the lens of meteorites and meteor showers! Objects both large and small have landed in Alabama, both in deep history and more recently. Learn how we observe such occurrences every night and how you can search for rocks that fall on Alabama.
Presented by Beth Bero
November 22nd – William Herschel
William Herschel made numerous discoveries that give cause for some to call him the father of modern astronomy. His most famous discovery doubled the size of the Solar System. Come learn about this musician/composer turned astronomer/telescope maker who left forever one of the biggest marks in the history of astronomy.
Presented by Jared Cassidy
November 29th – NO SHOW
VBAS Planetarium Closed for Iron Bowl
