Calendar for public club events and meetings

Continue below for a list view of upcoming events.

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NSA January 2025 Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Jan
10

NSA January 2025 Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Speaker: Jim Plaxco

Presentation: A History of Lunar Cartography and Nomenclature

Location Info

Barrington Area Library - Zimmerman Room

Zoom Info

NSA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: January Club Hybrid Meeting. Speaker: Jim Plaxco

Time: Jan 10, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89142894206?pwd=DQPCRBs4mnpMtjXsXFecnRVSY3RHb4.1

Meeting ID: 891 4289 4206

Passcode: 056448

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Meeting ID: 891 4289 4206

Passcode: 056448

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kT1YxGyT9

The Barrington Area Library provides Meeting Room space as a community service. The Barrington Area Library neither sponsors nor endorses this event nor the presenting individuals or organizations.

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NSA December Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Dec
20

NSA December Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Speaker: Beth Mund

Presentation: The Stories of Space

Club Officer Elections following Beth's presentation.

Location Info

Barrington Area Library - Zimmerman Room

Zoom Info

NSA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Time: Dec 20, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81979987090?pwd=NkxDWUZHZDlKK0F2bWJ3Tzd5TFlYQT09

Meeting ID: 819 7998 7090
Passcode: 349739

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Meeting ID: 819 7998 7090
Passcode: 349739

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/krjlD5ylf

The Barrington Area Library provides Meeting Room space as a community service. The Barrington Area Library neither sponsors nor endorses this event nor the presenting individuals or organizations.

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NSA October Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Oct
18

NSA October Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Topic: Wonders of Webb:  Exploring the Universe with JWST. Speaker: Jim Kovac

Following the successful launch and deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have explored new vistas and aspects of the Universe made possible with this remarkable instrument. Join us as Jim Kovac takes us on an exploration with a new eye on the Universe. 

Location Info

Barrington Area Library - Meeting Room B (First Floor)

Zoom Info

NSA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Time: Oct 18, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84995643111?pwd=MnhLaXMrTDQxQmQ0UzlsdmczeUtBZz09

Meeting ID: 849 9564 3111
Passcode: 083836

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Meeting ID: 849 9564 3111
Passcode: 083836

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdxdhS8jHD

The Barrington Area Library provides Meeting Room space as a community service. The Barrington Area Library neither sponsors nor endorses this event nor the presenting individuals or organizations.

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CANCELLED: Marengo Ridge PUBLIC Observing (Rain Date)
Oct
12
CANCELLED: Marengo Ridge PUBLIC Observing
Oct
11
Afton PUBLIC Observing (Rain Date)
Sep
28
Afton PUBLIC Observing
Sep
27
NSA September Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Sep
20

NSA September Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Topic: Positioning Systems of Professional Telescopes. Speaker: Kevin Kaufenberg

Description: As one of the most key components of motion systems that move large telescopes in a very controlled, accurate manner, optical encoders are highly engineered measurement feedback mechanisms. This presentation details these opto-mechanical devices and how they are used in the world of telescopes.

Location Info

Harper College - Avante Building Z, Room Z-119

Zoom Info

NSA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Time: Sep 20, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81324299036?pwd=TzR2ODdIalNydWd3NXJCYWZMRFhCZz09

Meeting ID: 813 2429 9036
Passcode: 733589

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• +1 564 217 2000 US
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• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 813 2429 9036
Passcode: 733589

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbzXXvazJQ

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Yerkes Lunar Eclipse Public Event
Sep
17

Yerkes Lunar Eclipse Public Event

Yerkes Observatory is hosting a special Lunar Eclipse open house on Tuesday, September 17 from 8pm – 10pm! Northwest Suburban Astronomers will be providing telescopes to observe the lunar eclipse if the weather is clear. There will be family activities, presentations from Yerkes astronomers, food for purchase from local vendors, and more for your family to enjoy. 

The open house will take place rain or shine. This does not include use of telescopes within the building. Reservations are required, and tickets can be purchased on our ticketing website. Tickets for this event cost $5 per child and $10 for adults and are available online only. There will not be parking onsite at the Observatory. Ticket holders must park at Williams Bay School and board an accessible trolley that will run a continuous shuttle between the school and observatory during the Open House.

Visit the Yerkes Observatory website to see the full schedule and event times.

To reserve tickets, click here to go to our ticketing website!

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Pleasant Valley PUBLIC Observing (Rain date)
Sep
14
Pleasant Valley PUBLIC Observing
Sep
13
NSA August Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Aug
16

NSA August Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

  • Barrington Area Library - Meeting Room A (first floor) (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Presentation Info

Speaker: Steven D. Kawaler

Topic: Sounding stars while hunting for planets with Kepler and TESS!

NASA has invested heavily in spacecraft that can hunt for planets around other stars (in particular with Kepler and TESS). These instruments also enable us to probe the subtle vibrations of the stars themselves – star quakes – that can reveal their internal structure via a technique known as asteroseismology. Through asteroseismology we can accurately measure the masses, ages, and radii of the stars – properties that are needed to specify the dimensions of their planets. In addition, the data provide an exquisite record of the behavior of an enormous variety of stars, including some wild variations in otherwise well-behaved white dwarfs. In this talk I’ll discuss the contributions that asteroseismology has been able to make to exoplanet and stellar studies using the remarkable data from Kepler and TESS.

Location Info

Barrington Area Library - Meeting Room A (first floor)

Zoom Info

NSA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Time: Aug 16, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84818885944?pwd=Rk83VWsvVDI4Yy9qQ0o5NE5mQUxzdz09

Meeting ID: 848 1888 5944
Passcode: 306887

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• +1 689 278 1000 US

Meeting ID: 848 1888 5944
Passcode: 306887

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kSLoy4DqK


The Barrington Area Library provides Meeting Room space as a community service. The Barrington Area Library neither sponsors nor endorses this event nor the presenting individuals or organizations.

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Wildcat Star Party 2024
Aug
2
to Aug 11

Wildcat Star Party 2024

Join us from August 2-11 for our annual star party!

Join the Northwest Suburban Astronomers on their annual trip to Wildcat Mountain State Park in Ontario, Wisconsin, where the dark, clear skies offer a perfect setting for observing celestial wonders. Located amidst stunning natural beauty, this park provides an exceptional viewing site. You can see the Milkyway with your own eyes, stretching from horizon to horizon. Park staff have prepared a designated field for setting up telescopes, offering unobstructed southern views of planets, galaxies, star clusters, nebulae, and occasional auroral displays under ideal conditions.

Club members only.

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NSA July Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Jul
19

NSA July Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Speaker: Michael Solontoi, PhD., Associate Professor of Physics, Coordinating Advisor, Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research, Monmouth College.

Location Info

Barrington Area Library - Meeting Room A (first floor)

Zoom Info

Join us as Michael Solontoi, an Associate Professor of Physics at Monmouth College, presents on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a brand-new astronomical facility on top of Cerro Pachón ridge in Chile scheduled to begin the ten-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) in 2025.

Time: Jul 19, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86835771701?pwd=THlKbmRlaVJvdTh2V3NsQ1dFTG9JQT09

Meeting ID: 868 3577 1701
Passcode: 386989

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• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 868 3577 1701
Passcode: 386989

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcS5ay6SI


The Barrington Area Library provides Meeting Room space as a community service. The Barrington Area Library neither sponsors nor endorses this event nor the presenting individuals or organizations.

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NSA June Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Jun
21

NSA June Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Artificial Intelligence in Astronomy

Join us for an illuminating presentation from Dale Dellutri on the fascinating intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Astronomy! Our speaker will guide you through the latest developments in using AI to analyze and interpret astronomical data. You'll learn about cutting-edge techniques for identifying and classifying celestial objects, as well as ways that AI is helping astronomers to make new discoveries and push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or simply curious about the latest advances in technology and science, this presentation is not to be missed. Come and discover the incredible possibilities that arise when the power of AI meets the mysteries of the cosmos. Join us for "Artificial Intelligence in Astronomy" and witness the future of space exploration!

Location Info

Harper College, Room Z117

Zoom Info

NSA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Time: Jun 21, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81077123396?pwd=ai9OYUMvck9RMitadGJ0Sm85UUJidz09

Meeting ID: 810 7712 3396
Passcode: 458226

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• +1 564 217 2000 US
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• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
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• +1 507 473 4847 US

Meeting ID: 810 7712 3396
Passcode: 458226

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k0rxzRT7b

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NSA May Monthly Club Meeting | Virtual Only (Zoom)
May
24

NSA May Monthly Club Meeting | Virtual Only (Zoom)

Presentation Info

NSA Brag Night - Astro Image and Photography Showcase

Join us for our “NSA Image Showcase Event” where NSA Club Members showcase their astro and photography talents with images from the Fall, Winter and early Spring seasons. Interest in imaging continues to grow across our club membership and we anticipate seeing some great images, the equipment that was used and learning about these beautiful celestial objects! Come join us and be amazed at the level of images amateur astronomers can capture with today’s technology and equipment - from DSLR’s to high-end telescopes and optics.

Zoom Info

Topic: NSA Brag Night - Astro Image and Photography Showcase

Time: May 24, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82887092564?pwd=Nk84dGtkbWdydndxNkpMYmdtZzd3dz09

Meeting ID: 828 8709 2564

Passcode: 793386

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• +1 507 473 4847 US

• +1 564 217 2000 US

• +1 669 444 9171 US

• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

• +1 689 278 1000 US

Meeting ID: 828 8709 2564

Passcode: 793386

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kzAPmmh7C

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Astronomy Day
May
18

Astronomy Day

Astronomy Day 2024

Our flyer

See below for program info

Program Information

6:00 to 8:00PM

(30 Minute Sessions)

Room Z128 - Craft Projects for Children                     

Kathy Maynard, Northwest Suburban Astronomers

9:00pm-10:30pm

Weather Permitting

Karl Henize Observatory – Building O: Open observing of the nighttime sky

6:00PM

Room Z102 – DART, Hera, and Planetary Protection                 

Kevin Cole, Harper College Associate Professor of Geology/Astronomy

With the success of NASA's DART Mission, we will look at what Planetary Protection is and what more we can learn about diverting asteroids with the upcoming ESA Hera mission to Dimorphos and the new NEO Surveyor Mission.

Room Z117 – Can We Have a Global Space Program?                                                      

Dean Mikolajczyk, Midwest Astronomy and Space Society

Today we see the development of numerous space programs throughout the world.  In addition to the U.S. Russia, and China, there's also Japan, Brazil, UAE, India, and others all of whom are sending probes into the solar system.  Can we combine all our national resources into one global space program?  Join us for an interesting discussion.  

7:00PM

Room Z102Our Beautiful Blue Planet Earth                      

Robert Karas, Northwest Suburban Astronomers

The program presents the origin of our planet from primordial gas clouds, the structure of Earth, the origin of life on Earth, the extinction of past dinosaurs, and the naturally occurring changes that take place over time.

Room Z117 – The Mathematics of Intelligence                                                        

Jeff Schmitz, Harper College Adjunct Professor

How might we define life in a way that is independent of biology and chemistry? To recognize a signal from intelligent life we need to understand intelligence and communication. Both "intelligence" and "life" could be "functions" which might be used to develop practical procedures to identify life and intelligence.

Room Z119 – Evolution of Planetary Cartography          

Jackie Cooney, Harper College Adjunct Professor

We will be exploring the rocky planets through the maps created by different people for different purposes.  Follow along as we look at the increasing complexity and usefulness of different mapping capabilities as data from satellites become more sensitive and widely available to the public.

8:00PM

Room Z102 – Extreme Exoplanets part 2  

Jim Kovac, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador

As the catalog of confirmed exoplanets has grown, astronomers have recognized the wide range of projected environmental characteristics that render these worlds truly unique and challenging for life as we know it.  Join the continuing exploration as we examine bizarre exoplanets that differ significantly from our home world.

Room Z117 – Astro Tourism: A Meridian Line in a Church in Rome                                

Dale Deluttri, Skokie Valley Astronomers

When my wife and I traveled to Rome, we happened upon an astronomical item in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels and Martyrs: a 300-year-old meridian line. This presentation describes the meridian line and how it was used to determine the exact length of the year and to compute the date for Easter Sunday

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NSA April Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Apr
26

NSA April Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)

Presentation Info

Secrets of the Quasars

Join us as Shane Louis Larson, Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University, Associate Director, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) talks to us about quasars, the brightest, most distant energetic objects known: their lives, their connections to black holes, and the things that still mystified us!

Location Info

Harper College

Building Z - Avante, Room Z119

Parking Lot 3

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oAsWjffWTXUCQVqz8

Zoom Info

Topic: Secrets of the Quasars

Time: Apr 26, 2024 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83391372284?pwd=NDlHU2krcVRiTko5dFZha0wrbWhUZz09

Meeting ID: 833 9137 2284

Passcode: 497997

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• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

• +1 253 205 0468 US

• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

• +1 360 209 5623 US

• +1 386 347 5053 US

• +1 507 473 4847 US

• +1 564 217 2000 US

• +1 669 444 9171 US

• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

• +1 689 278 1000 US

• +1 719 359 4580 US


Meeting ID: 833 9137 2284

Passcode: 497997

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/koEf50sKD

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