Monthly Business Meetings:These are “business meetings” and they concern the operations, activities, and volunteer efforts the KAS is involved with. We suggest that people interested in learning what the KAS and Kopernik Observatory is all about would be best off coming to a Friday night Public Observing Session the first time. The Business Meetings last about one hour, followed by observing (if clear). These meetings are open to the public. Business meetings are generally held on the FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH http://www.kopernik.org/volunteering/kopernik-astronomical-society/
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Special Events, (as listed below):KAS Members often make Field Trips to various Special Events throughout the year, or provide special support. The Field Trips are generally informal carpool/caravan type affairs. If you would like to join in one of these events, please attend the KAS Monthly Meeting immediately preceding the Special Event, or let one of the KAS Officers know of your interest well in advance. |
Winter Star PartySaturday, February 22, 2025 The Kopernik Astronomical Society will hold its annual Winter Star Party, regardless of sky conditions! There will be speakers on various astronomy topics. |
Kopernik AstroFestThe KAS will hold the 38th Annual AstroFest, its annual celebration of Astronomy, On October 6th & October 11th – 12th, 2024. |
Listing of Special Events, with dates
KAS Annual Messier Marathon | Dates: Clear Nights March 22 – 29, 2025
Location: Kopernik Observatory, Vestal, New York. KAS Interest: Come join the KAS as we attempt to observe all 110 Messier Objects in a single night. |
Northeast Astro-Imaging Conference | Dates: Thursday and Friday April 5th – 6th, 2025
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, Suffern, New York. KAS Interest: The goal of this conference is to bring together interested amateurs to discuss imaging techniques and projects. Subjects: Deep Sky and High Resolution Planetary imaging; Digital cameras; Photometry and Spectroscopy. Check the link for the long list of famous speakers. |
Northeast Astronomy Forum & Telescope Show (NEAF) | Dates: Saturday and Sunday April 3rd – 4th, 2025
Location: Rockland Community College, 145 College Rd., Suffern, New York. KAS Interest: This event has one of the world’s biggest “Astronomy Gizmo” displays. Over 90 telescope and equipment dealers and manufacturers show and sell their stuff, plus there are many “show special” discount prices. There are also presentations by famous astronomers. The Solar Star Party is one of the best of its kind – worldwide. This event has grown very large and is now two days long. KAS Members carpool/caravan to this one, some of us stay overnight in a local motel, and we have won more than our share of the very valuable door prizes. This year we need KAS volunteers to staff our new booth at the show. |
Cherry Springs Star Party | Dates: Thursday thru Saturday June 19TH – June 22nd, 2025Location: Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County, Pennsylvania. KAS Interest: The Cherry Springs Star Party(CSSP) is a dark-sky observing event hosted by the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg PA. Cherry Springs State Park is one of the darkest sites in the state of Pennsylvania. KAS Members have attended both the CSSP and the Black Forest Star Party at this location. CSSP has become a wonderful “Spring Break” dark sky event. Register early because it fills up fast! Note that this site is also available for observing during other spring, summer, and fall days (camping fee of $9 per night). The State of Pennsylvania is rapidly improving Cherry Springs State Park for use by astronomers and will be adding. There are already three domes and a roll-off roof shelter that are available for rent to house your telescope. |
Tioga County Relay for Life (American Cancer Society event) | Dates: July TBD 2025
Location: Owego Free Academy High School, Owego, New York KAS Interest: For the past several years KAS Members have supported this worthy event by setting up telescopes for an evening star party, and have provided hand-outs on Kopernik Observatory to anyone who is interested. Although there are lights for part of the evening the event organizers have sometimes turned them off since the star gazing and telescope viewing is so popular with the public. One KAS Member has camped at the location. Tentatively, there will be solar observing on Saturday. Helping out with this event would be a fine way to honor KAS Members or their friends and family who have passed away as a result of cancer. |
KAS BBQ & Star Party | Dates: TBD Summer 2025
Location: TBD. KAS Interest: If you are in the KAS, and love a good BBQ – then this is the place to go on those warm summer nights. KAS members can bring themselves and family, a dish (and desert) to pass, and of course their astronomy gear. Following dinner, the group sets up their gear, and a mini-star party breaks out. Last year was our first BBQ, and what a great time it was! held under the dark skies of Greene, NY – great observing location. |
Stellafane Telescope Makers Convention | Dates: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 24th – 27th, 2025
Location: Springfield, Vermont KAS Interest: The Stellafane Convention is a gathering of amateur telescope makers started in 1926 to give an opportunity to gather to show off homemade scopes and teach each other telescope making and mirror-grinding techniques. Since then it has grown into the largest, oldest, and most famous gathering of amateur astronomers in the world. While telescope making is still the primary focus, Stellafane offers an excellent opportunity to observe with amateurs from around the world under dark Vermont skies. KAS Members camp and observe together, and manyKAS’ers that have moved away from the Binghamton area gather at Stellafane for a reunion. Stellafane can best be described as“Woodstock for Astronomers“. |
Adirondack Sky Center Astrophotography Conference | Dates: TBD October, 2025
Location: Adirondack Sky Center – Tupper Lake NY. KAS Interest: Many imagers from the Kopernik Astronomical Society attend this conference each year. The imaging conference is great for those interested in astrophotography, and it covers a wide range of topics. This is not a sit and watch speakers kind of conference – there are many hands on activities with instructors there to help you and take on your questions. Great if you are a beginner or experienced imager. |
Black Forest Star Party | Dates: September TBD, 2025
Location: Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County, Pennsylvania. KAS Interest: The Black Forest Star Party (BFSP) is an annual dark-sky observing event hosted by the Central Pennsylvania Observers (CPO). Cherry Springs State Park is one of the darkest sites in the state of Pennsylvania. If you are primarily interested in dark sky observing, this is the star party for you!!BFSP has become one of the most popular star parties in the North East, so if you want to go, register early! |