Our June Fundamentals continues our annual tradition of providing a family night of science. Just because school is out for the summer (not forever), doesn’t mean the opportunity to learn is also on hiatus. If you have some budding science enthusiasts at home, you may consider coming down to our Family Fun Night on June 17th. What can you expect from an evening with the Naperville Astronomical Association? The family fun night is geared toward kids of all ages. We will have hands-on activities to learn about constellations, the motion of the Earth and the Moon, and much more. Please save the date, and spend an evening with members from NAA.
During our June Fundamentals, NAA members, led by our Fundamentals Program Director, Ron Ziss, will lead you and your family through various hands-on exercises as you learn about astronomy related subjects.
Focal Plane June 2025 Wonders of Webb: Exploring the Universe with JWST
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. Webb joins the exploration with a new eye on the Universe. It is not the...
June ’25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little ObservingAll month: Mercury returns to the sunset sky as Jupiter departs, leaving Mars as the only planet on the evening stage, while the morning sky is populated by Venus, Saturn,...
May ’25 — Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: the planets continue their exodus from the evening sky this month. Uranus is now lost in the solar glare – it will reach conjunction on May 17 and return as a...
Astronomy Fundamentals: A Look at the History of Alvan Clark Telescopes
In the 19th century, Alvan Graham Clark was one of the premier lens makers for telescopes. His craftsmanship was sought after and many observatories in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were built to house his refractor telescopes. In fact, smaller Alvan Clark...