(Directions to these observatories can be found below on this page)
Planetarium shows at UNK are resuming. For information as to topics, dates, and a link to get free tickets - click here.
May 6th, 2022 - UNK Planetarium, 7:00 PM in Bruner Hall. The topic will be "The Solar Neutrino Problem." For more information click here.
May 6th, 2022 - Public viewing at Honey Creek Observatory near O'Neill at 9:30 PM. Click the observatory link in the main menu for more information.
May 7th, 2022 - Public viewing at Sachtleben Observatory 9:30 PM. Directions and information are below.
May 21st, 2022 - Public viewing at Sachtleben Observatory 9:30 PM. Directions and information are below.
May 26th, 2022 - PVAO general meeting at Shadowmoon Observatory at 7:30 PM. The program for this meeting will again be given by Hap Griffin, Vice president of South Carolina Educational TV. In addition for being known for modifying cameras for astrophotography, Hap also has a passion for finding asteroids and photographing them. This will be the topic he will present on for May. If you are on the club email list, the link for virtual attendance will be sent to you a few days before the meeting.
May 27th, 2022 - Public viewing at Honey Creek Observatory near O'Neill at 9:30 PM. Click the observatory link in the main menu for more information.
You can join the listserv and talk to us and each other! Email mark.urwiller@gmail.com - it's free! We now have 4 members that have their own observatories! We hope to see you at a meeting in 2022!
General meetings of the PVAO are now held at Shadowmoon Observatory, 3629 W Guenther Road Grand Island Nebraska at 7:30 PM on the 4th Thursday of the month. Google Maps link here. An alternate location for meetings is the Audubon Rowe Sanctuary south of Gibbon Nebraska. Click here for directions. The public is welcome! Heck, membership is free!
Videos For The Current Month Will Be Posted When They Become Available.
Turn Off The Sound At The Top
Of This Page To Listen To These Videos! Bob Wenzl, PVAO member and our Astronomical League
Correspondant (ALCOR) has completed his new observatory south of Grand
Island! He has generously offered to allow the PVAO to hold our
monthly meetings there. This is great since it will allow us to either
observe (1st priority) or hold programs there! This is the only one of
4 member observatories and has a climate controlled
portion where we can meet and stay warm/cool/dry. Bob has 4 scopes
there and is already taking images in his new baby :) Congratulations Bob!
At the August 2014 general meeting of the
PVAO a discussion was held on the topic of what we could do to increase
membership. The idea was put forth to make membership to our club free of
charge! We have sufficient funds to maintain club activities for the time being.
The group decided this was a good thing to do and the idea was unanimously
agreed upon. Here's how it
works. Some of the perks we had previously offered on the membership page
had to be dropped, but all a potential new member has to do is come to a
meeting and say you want to join - and you're in! We'll give you a card
and you can start bragging about your membership! We may have to put a "hat" out
on occasion to restore our "kitty", but we'll make it work. How's that?
Now - Join us!
Simple and fun
learning activities to share with children.
Paint by Pixels--Make a
picture using a technique similar to that used by many NASA
spacecraft to record and send pictures back to Earth. Jay Rasmussen has created a telescope primer. Its
highly suggested reading for anyone interested in information on buying their
first telescope. Click on the link below! If after reading this you
have further questions, please contact us! You will need the Adobe Acrobat
Reader available free from www.adobe.com Exit I-80 at Gibbon Nebraska and turn south. Keep going
until you cross both channels of the Platte River - this is a couple of miles.
Just after passing the main channel bridge, you will see a dirt road which goes east - Elm
Island Road. Go past it! The next road to the south will again be
Elm Island Road. This time it only goes west - you will also see the
Audubon sign. Take this one west! Take this road west until it turns
south - a couple miles. Right at the turn to the south you will see the
Audubon Center on the north side. You are there! You can reach the
center by phone at (308) 468-5282. Here is a Goggle Maps link so you can
see where you're going:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=217703664407841425143.0004c5a8c9a9f780bb627
Web page link Here. The facility is located on Wabash
Avenue three miles south of U.S. Highway 6. The Wabash Avenue turnoff is about
one mile east of the Hwy 6/Hwy 281 intersection and is marked with signs to the
observatory. If you're coming into Hastings from the north on 281, just go
through town and take a left when you reach Hwy 6. The observatory is
found on the left side of the street exactly three miles south of Hwy 6, just before the
pavement ends. If you hit gravel road, you've gone too far!
Click the observatory photo to go the
observatory's webpage complete with schedule, contact info, and maps.
All current members are already
subscribed. You can post messages to: pvao@discuss.pvao.us If you would like to subscribe to
our listservs - whether or not you are a member, all you really need to do is e-mail address
mark.urwiller@tutanota.com. You will be e-mailed a subscription confirmation request.
Follow the confirmation instructions and that's it. You'll be ready to
receive announcements and notifications. You can "reply to all" and
participate in discussions or initiate your own discussions with a question.
We also have a text announcement list! This is read only. If you
wish to join it, again e-mail me, but I also need your phone number and cell
phone provider. This text list allows you to be notified of impromtu
member viewing sessions or cancellations. Feel free to use the
discussion listserv for any
conversation involving club activities, astronomical discussion etc. It's there for
you - use it! Mark Urwiller - Web Page
Administrator
Home
Club News
Photos
Bob Runyan Photos
Links
Membership
Honey Creek Observatory
Outreach Page
Shadowmoon Observatory!
Important News For Potential New Members!
Check out Nasa's Space Place at this link:
Play and learn
Clues from Ancient Light--With
the GALEX space telescope, astronomers know the age of a
sources light by its degree of red shift. In this
learning-by-analogy activity, kids arrange pictures of
familiar objects by judging which is older.
Telescope Primer On-Line!
Directions to the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center
(Club Alternate Meeting Site)
The Sachtleben Observatory
In Hastings Nebraska
Here is a link to an Adobe Acrobat
file showing how to get to a club alternate observing site in Grand Island:
Keep In Touch With The Club Listservs!
Stop Counting Sheep and Start Counting
Stars!
Send comments to:
mark.urwiller@tutanota.com