Become a Constellation Hunter!

The Constellation Hunter Club is looking for CCAS members who wish to work on the Astronomical League's Constellation Hunter Award. No telescope is needed - this is a "naked-eye" observing program. Bring along a dim or red flashlight, some paper and something firm to write/draw on (you have to keep a logbook), a pencil with eraser, and a planisphere or monthly star chart. Come on out and learn the constellations and stars. Hope to see you there!

Find Colorful Double Stars!

The Double Star Club is an informal "club" open to any CCAS member who wants to earn the Astronomical League's Double Star Club Certificate (and lapel pin). The purpose of the program is to learn more about stars that are actually multiple star systems: two or more stars that are gravitationally bound, like the Sun and its planets. Many of these stellar multiples show color contrasts in amateur telescopes, and some are quite lovely!

Learn Your Way Around the Moon!

The Lunar Club is an informal "club" open to any CCAS member who wants to earn the Astronomical League's Lunar Club Certificate (and lapel pin). The purpose of the program is to learn the features of our nearest neighbor in space, the Moon. This program includes naked-eye observations of the Moon, binocular observations, and telescopic observations. Participants will find "seas", craters, mountains, vallies, and more: even the famous Man in the Moon!

Join the Messier Clubs!

The Messier Clubs are informal "clubs" open to any CCAS member who wants to earn either of the Astronomical League awards based on Charles Messier's famous list. This list of 110 astronomical objects includes most of the brightest star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies visible from the Chester County area. The Messier Clubs provide an introduction to a variety of deep-sky treasures (in astronomy, "deep-sky" means "beyond our solar system"). Participants learn more about what is located in the constellations, as well as how to use binoculars and telescopes for astronomical viewing. The Messier Clubs are an excellent followup to the more basic Constellation Hunter Club.