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Member Meeting – June 20

Join us on Friday June 20, 2025 at 7:30 pm at the VBAS Planetarium for our monthly member meeting. Admission is open to the public.

Starlore from India

Astronomy is one of the oldest branches of Science. All the known ancient civilizations were equally fascinated by the motion of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and the Stars and made careful observations/recordings of these motions. Although the objects in the sky are the same, the stories about the constellations vary widely across the cultures. In this talk I will share some constellation stories that I heard growing up in India and touch upon how astronomy plays a role in various rituals that are still followed in India.

Presented by Dr. Naveen Vetcha

Dr. Vetcha is Team Lead for Aerosciences team at Amentum Space Exploration Division supporting the Engineering Services and Science Capability Augmentation (ESSCA) contract at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). His prior roles on the contract include Team Lead for Technology Development Team, Challenge Manager of NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, and Liquid Propulsion Analyst for RS-25 engines that power the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System Rocket. Prior to this, he worked as lead test analyst at Nexolve for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s sunshields. Naveen is also an adjunct faculty at University of Alabama Huntsville’s College of Engineering. Naveen has been an active member and volunteer of VBAS since 2013. Dr. Vetcha received MS & PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from University of California Los Angeles, MTech in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India, and BE in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University, India.

 

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News

Moon Tree dedication

Launched 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 receive a tree through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) and partnered with Alabama State Parks to plant the tree at Monte Sano State Park.

WHAT: Moon Tree dedication at Monte Sano State Park
WHEN: Thursday, March 20, at 11 a.m.
WHO: Representatives from Alabama State Parks, Von Braun Astronomical Society and NASA, as well as local civic and business leaders
WHERE: Monte Sano State Park, 5105 SE Nolen Ave, Huntsville, AL 35801; please park near the John Scoble Memorial Pavilion, located on Cabin Drive near the intersection with Bankhead Parkway.
LEARN MORE: Visit nasa.org to learn about the Moon Tree program

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Archived

Astronomy 102 Registration Open

Update: Registration has closed.

This course is a supplement to our Astronomy 101 class in the Fall and is intended to provide a depth of information on astronomy from its history to modern concepts, including amateur astrophotography, black holes, and cosmology. The course is targeted to beginning observers, adults and teens, or those interested in a refresher course in popular amateur astronomy topics. Each session involves both lecture and observing using your own or VBAS telescopes or binoculars.

Course Outline:

  • Session 1: History of Astronomy
  • Session 2: Modern Astrophotography Part 1
  • Session 2: Modern Astrophotography Part 2
  • Session 4: Radio Astronomy
  • Session 5: Black Holes and Dark Matter
  • Session 6: Cosmology

No Prerequisite Required

Instructor: Jeff Delmas
Tuesdays, 3/18/25 through 4/22/25, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Six sessions in total
Price: $25 members, $30 nonmembers

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News

2024 Telescope Buyer’s Guide Now Available

Choosing 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.

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Archived

Amateur Astronomy 101 Registration Now Open

Registration has closed. See you next time!

This six week course is targeted to beginning observers, adults and teens, or those interested in a refresher course in basic observational astronomy. Learn the wonders of the night sky in a practical setting that involves both lecture and observing using your own or VBAS telescopes or binoculars. Tuesdays at 7:00-8:30 pm, Oct 8 – Nov 12.

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Observatory

Night at the Observatory

VBAS is pleased to offer a program that provides guests an opportunity to direct an observing session using the historic Swanson 21” telescope with a modern digital camera. Our Night At The Observatory is a personalized program that allows small groups to experience an evening of observing deep-sky objects of their choice. And the fun doesn’t end when the night is done because at the end of the evening you will take home the images acquired during your observing session. A VBAS certified operator will assist in target acquisition and imaging and can make suggestions for interesting deep-sky objects to discover.

Your Night At The Observatory requires no prior training or experience with telescopes. You will learn some of the fascinating history of the observatory and how to operate the large telescope. Contact observatory@vbas.org to book your own Night At The Observatory. See the file below for details and prices.

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Uncategorized

Swap Meet – May 17

Come to the Swap Meet on Friday, May 17, 2024

Free Pizza & conversation at 7:00 pm. Meeting, including annual Elections, at 7:30 pm. The May Monthly meeting at our planetarium on Monte Sano will feature a chance for you to bring, swap, sell and buy gently used astronomy equipment and books. Contact Joe Kutner if you have any questions at vicepresident@vbas.org

Each Third Friday of the Month meeting starts with FREE pizza at 7:00, followed by the meeting at 7:30. In May we will have our annual board elections as well as the swap meet. Hope to see you there!