NAA in the Community
Outreach
One of the goals of the NAA is to share our hobby with the public. We have been doing so for many years through Public Nights at our observatory, as well as “sidewalk astronomy” on the Riverwalk in downtown Naperville, and at various events held in other towns around the area.
Come to a Public Night
Public Nights are held at the observatories on the Saturday evenings closest to first and last quarter moon. During the spring, summer, and fall, we also offer views of the evening sky along Naperville’s Riverwalk, and views of the Sun on Saturday mornings.
Bring Us to Your Group
We are regularly approached by school, scouting, and community groups who would like to see the sky through our telescopes, either at our observatories or at their locations.
Volunteer With Us
You do not need a telescope to assist in many situations, and you do not need a science degree. If you are new to outreach, someone may be there to guide you.
Upcoming Public Events
Public observing nights are always free, but they are weather-dependent. Please check the NAA homepage or calendar on the day of the event.
Where We Go
We bring our telescopes to STEM and STEAM nights, science fairs and family nights at area schools; indoors, we staff STEM tables, and when the sky cooperates, we share the views through telescopes outside.
- An indoor table with pictures, telescopes, and demonstrations
- Safe solar views of the Sun, weather permitting
- Presentations, such as a talk on solar eclipses followed by live views of the Sun
- Telescope views for the school’s families after dark
Our partnership with Waubonsie Valley High School and its planetarium goes back to the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, when we ran a day’s worth of public astronomy activity together. Waubonsie Valley hosts family nights at its own planetarium, and the NAA supports them with telescope views, weather permitting.
Libraries, park districts, forest preserves and community groups invite us to set up telescopes, give talks and put up exhibits.
At a library, we begin with a short presentation by club members, then head outdoors to explore the night sky through our telescopes. Talks such as “Successful Suburban Skygazing” are rain or shine; telescope viewing is, as always, weather-dependent.
We provide scopes for park district and forest preserve telescope parties, bring our large telescopes for free viewing at village parks, give indoor presentations and sky gazing at senior living communities, and set up telescopes alongside symphony performances of Holst’s The Planets.
NAA holds events for scouting groups at our Astronomy Education Center, to allow for group viewing at our observatory and an opportunity to learn about constellations and how to observe astronomical objects.
Scout troops look through the Riley Observatory’s telescope, see images from the DuPage Valley Observatory, and try telescopes brought by members on the lawn.
Away from the observatories, we share solar views with scouts at camporees, and have a table at Scouting STEM events.
All of our AEC events are free, but they do depend on the weather, so be sure to check again on the day of the event to be sure it’s happening as scheduled.
Volunteering: What Is Involved?
Our club has become a fixture in the community, and NAA takes pride in spreading astronomy to the area. What is involved in our outreach? It depends on the event and location. Many opportunities to volunteer only need you to share basic information about the hobby or information about our club.
For events at our observatories, we always need members who don’t have their own telescopes to handle some simple tasks, such as helping kids with the hands-on telescopes and discussing our exhibits. Volunteers are needed and always appreciated.
Over the years, thousands of children and adults have gotten glimpses of the wonders of the universe through our telescopes, many for their first time, and you don’t have to be an expert astronomer to impress them with your views of the Moon or other bright objects.
NAA Member Handbook
Have questions? Reach out to our Public Outreach Officer.
John Ehlert, Public Outreach Officer
Public Nights at the AEC
Bring Your Telescope
Set it up by the observatory and share your views with the public as well as your fellow members.
Public Nights at the AEC
Observing Assistant
Greet guests, get them signed in on the attendance sheets, and help keep things moving.
Public Nights at the AEC
GDRO Operator
In charge of the observing session: keep something in view in the GDRO telescope at all times.
Public Nights at the AEC
Traffic Engineer
Get people parked and to the observatory.
Schools & Community Events
STEM Tables
Provide information about our club, our events, and maybe share information on our hobby (planispheres, telescopes, star maps).
Naperville Riverwalk
Riverwalk Events
Riverwalk events do require telescopes, but you may come out to help with crowds.
Built by Our Volunteers
Our organization has accomplished an amazing amount of public outreach over the 5+ decades that we’ve run an observatory; that success has always been thanks to the partnership that we’ve had with the City of Naperville.
1986
Public observing sessions for Halley’s Comet at Blackwell Forest Preserve turned out, by Forest Preserve District estimates, thousands of people.
2005
The club started regularly holding Solar Saturday public sun viewing sessions along the Naperville Riverwalk.
2007
Each spring and fall, we held a series of Youth Group Friday Evenings at our Astronomy Education Center. By combining various groups together, we could serve more kids more effectively.
2009
We took part in a day’s worth of public astronomy activity as part of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, with Waubonsie Valley High School and its planetarium.
2017
The Susan Carhart Outdoor Classroom was constructed to increase the usefulness of the Astronomy Education Center’s lawn area for public outreach. We gave away over 100 free eclipse glasses to families, and perhaps 100 more to Cub Scouts.
2020
NAA assisted the Adler Planetarium with their live Mars viewing; the sessions had over 12,000 views combined.
2021
Our first public outreach event after the pandemic was scheduled for June 19 in Homer Glen, at Heritage Park.
2025
Construction at the Springbrook Regional Water Reclamation Center temporarily closed our Astronomy Education Center, and Public Nights moved to the Naperville Riverwalk. NAA received a Unistellar eVscope 2 from an anonymous donor, who asked that the club use the smart telescope for public outreach.
2026
Our Astronomy Education Center reopened in June.
Request a Session
To schedule a stargazing session for your school, library, community or youth group, contact our Public Outreach Officer.
John Ehlert, Public Outreach Officer