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
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.
- Astrophotography 101The Von Braun Astronomical Society is offering a beginner level classin astrophotography (AP 101). This course is designed for individualswith little knowledge of astronomy. It is planned for 3 sessions asoutlined below. Cost is $25 for VBAS members and $30 fornonmembers. Session 1: Introduction to the night sky and equipment overview Session 2: A detailed… Read more: Astrophotography 101
- Moon Tree dedicationLaunched atop NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Moon Tree seeds traveled into lunar orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft as part of the Artemis I mission in 2022. The seeds travelled thousands of miles beyond the Moon and spent more than 25 days in space before returning to Earth. The Von Braun Astronomical Society applied to… Read more: Moon Tree dedication
- 2024 Telescope Buyer’s Guide Now AvailableChoosing a first telescope for yourself or a loved one can be a daunting task. There are many different choices at all sorts of price ranges. Some are good and some are not so good. Let our Telescope Buyer’s Guide help you in your decision.
Upcoming Shows
- May 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.
May 3rd and 10th – Outer Planets
The four “Gas Giants” are among the most exciting objects for new observers to find in a telescope. What do
Presented by Beth Bero
we know about these distant worlds? Join Beth Bero for a look at current and past research on these enigmatic
neighbors in our solar system.
May 17th – Southern Skies
A microscope? An air-pump? A compass? No, not a laboratory, but the constellations of the Southern skies! Using our star projector, we can take a peek at the night sky from places of a more southerly latitude and learn some new star patterns and how they got their names.
Presented by Alex Hall
May 24th and 31st – The Moon: Then and Now
70 years ago a group of astronomy enthusiasts joined together to create the Rocket City Astronomical
Presented by Eric Silkowski
Association, later renamed in honor of Dr. Wernher von Braun. Under his leadership, some of our founders
pioneered the early exploration of space and especially the Moon. In 1955, almost nothing was known about
the Moon; no one had ever even seen the far side! Join us as we journey through the history of lunar exploration
from the pre-Apollo era to today. We will see how scientists and explorers unlocked the Moon’s secrets and the
incredible advance of technology over the course of VBAS’ 70-year history.
