The Chester County Astronomical Society was formed as a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and enjoyment of astronomy for the general public. The Society holds meetings (with member or guest speakers) and observing sessions once a month. Anyone who is interested in astronomy is welcome to attend meetings and become a member of the Society. In addition to the monthly meetings and observing sessions, the Society also provides a variety of services to the public, including astronomy classes as well as telescopes and expertise for "star parties" for school, scout, and other civic groups.

• Friday, September 10, 2010 - CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, BVA (inclement weather date September 11th). The observing session starts at sunset.
• Tuesday, September 14, 2010 - CCAS Monthly Meeting, Room 113, Merion Science Center (former Boucher Building), West Chester University. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Dr. Dave Klassen, PhD, Rowan University: "Mars & the Martian Atmosphere." DVD Lecture Series: "The Paradox of the Dark Night Sky."
• Saturday, September 18, 2010 - Night Out in Anson Nixon Park, Kennett Square.
• Saturday, October 16, 2010 - Night Out in Hoopes Park, West Chester. The event is cohosted with the West Chester Department of Recreation.
• Friday, November 5, 2010 - CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Night Out at Springton Manor, Glenmoore, PA.
  

In memory of Jack Horkeimer, everyone's favorite "Star Gazer" on PBS, this month's video is his final presentation featuring the Summer Triangle.

Jack passed away on August 20, 2010, after suffering from a congenital respiratory ailment for most of his life. Millions of people each week watched his PBS show, which started locally in Miami in 1976 and then broadcast nationally since in 1985. Horkheimer also organized stargazing parties and was a frequent commentator in the national media on comets, eclipses and other astronomical events. He called himself a science dramatist, not an astronomer, and was clear that his interest in outer space lay not so much in science as in more sweeping existential questions.

Horkheimer served for 35 years as the director of the Space Transit Planetarium at the Miami Science Museum. He turned presentations there from academic lessons into whiz-bang shows that used music, metaphor and animation to explore the night sky and inspire curiosity about the heavens. Visit the official website at http://www.jackstargazer.com to view past episodes or express your condolences to his family and friends.

The society schedules monthly observing sessions in the Myrick Conservation Center of the Brandywine Valley Association. The observing sessions, which are planned around the new moon, are open to the public and announced in the Society's newsletter, Observations. Owning a telescope or binoculars is not required; anyone interested in observing the heavens is welcome to show up. If you do have a telescope and need help using it, our observing sessions are a great place to practice and learn from other society members.

The Chester County Astronomical Society's regular monthly meetings include a presentation from an invited speaker or the demonstration of an astronomical project by one of the Society's members. After the presentation, a brief business session is held to review the status of society activities. Meetings typically last 1-1/2 to 2 hours including an informal conversation over refreshments at the end of each meeting.

The Society meets at 7:30 PM the second Tuesday of each month in Room MER113 in the Merion Science Center (former Boucher Building) at West Chester University (corner of South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, Pennsylvania). Click for Directions and Maps.

In 2007 the Society purchased a set of DVDs from The Teaching Company entitled Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy, Second Edition. This series of lectures (96 in all) is taught by Dr. Alex Filippenko, from the University of California at Berkeley.

Each month we show one of the thirty-minute lectures starting at 7:00 p.m. The regular meeting then starts at 7:30, when the video ends. For this coming season, we have selected a series of eight lectures on cosmology. This is a hot topic in astronomy today, and the recorded lectures are an excellent way to provide an educational experience featuring this exciting topic.

The videos do not replace our regular program of live speakers, nor do they replace the Constellation of the Month series. The lectures supplement our program, providing information on an often-requested topic by an excellent instructor, and because the video is shown at 7:00 the meeting still ends at approximately 9:00 p.m.

In the past, the Chester County Astronomical Society has sponsored astronomy courses open to the public several times per year. For 2011, CCAS is partnering with the Geology and Astronomy Department of West Chester University in Project ASTRO. For more information on Project ASTRO, visit the Sponsored Astronomy Classes page.

The Chester County Astronomical Society offers "nights out" to interested organizations including local schools, scouting groups, and other civic groups for the purpose of learning more about the heavens. For example, scouting groups often hold them to earn badges for their members. If your organization is interested in hosting a "night out", please contact us.

• Friday, September 10, 2010 - CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, BVA (inclement weather date September 11th). The observing session starts at sunset.
• Saturday, September 18, 2010 - Night Out in Anson Nixon Park, Kennett Square.
• Saturday, October 16, 2010 - Night Out in Hoopes Park, West Chester. The event is cohosted with the West Chester Department of Recreation.

Star parties are national and regional events similar to "nights out" and open to the public. They are held throughout the year. For a list of upcoming national events in 2010, visit the star parties page.

The West Chester University Department of Geology & Astronomy hosts a free show open to the general public on the 2nd Friday of each month. The WCU Planetarium is located in the Schmucker Science Center on Church St. For a campus map, click here.


The shows start promptly at 7:00 P.M. ET and run approximately one hour in length. Late arrivals will not be permitted to enter the planetarium. Each show will include an overview of what is visible in the current night sky and a special focus on some aspect of astronomy.

Reservations are required because the planetarium has limited seating. Please contact Dr. Karen Vanlandingham, Planetarium Director, to reserve your seat(s). For contact information, visit the planetarium's webpage.