Astronomical Society of Greenbelt

Star Party
2026-04-18 21:00 - 23:00, 2026-05-09 21:00 - 23:00, 2026-05-16 21:30 - 23:30, 2026-06-06 21:30 - 23:30, 2026-06-13 21:30 - 23:30, 2026-07-11 21:30 - 23:30, 2026-08-08 21:00 - 23:00, 2026-08-15 21:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) and 9 more dates | City of Greenbelt Observatory, 8101 Northway Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Weather permitting, we will hold a star party at the Greenbelt Observatory. The observatory will be open to visitors to view the wonders of the heavens. People are also welcome to bring their own telescopes to set up for observation.
The event is open to members and non-members of all ages at no cost. We provide a fun, family-friendly environment for learning about the universe. This is a great way to meet other astronomers in the community. And, if you are new to the hobby, members are always willing to help you learn how to use your telescope.
Our star parties generally begin about an hour after sunset and run for two hours.
Please note that star parties may be canceled without prior notice in the event of overcast skies or extremely inclement weather conditions. In addition, the observatory is made of metal and has no heating or cooling system. Please be aware that the temperature inside will be roughly the same inside as it is outside, although in summer it is sometimes hotter inside. Please dress accordingly.
In accordance with Prince George’s County guidelines, masks are voluntary.

Monthly Meeting
2026-04-30 19:30 - 21:30 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Dr. Jonathan Mawdsley will be speaking on “The Galileo Affair”, an exploration of the differing worldviews engaged in the historic conflict between Galileo and the Catholic Church, with a particular focus on Robert Bellarmine, Cardinal, Saint and doctor of the Church.
Our monthly meetings are usually held on the last Thursday of each month. Our speakers are drawn from all around the country, including experts from NASA, the Smithsonian, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and other scientific institutions. Our members also give presentations about subjects of interest to amateur astronomers.
The events are held at the Greenbelt Community Center. We encourage visitors to attend in person, although we will also broadcast the talk on Zoom. Come back a few days before the meeting to see how to join the Zoom meeting. We begin the meetings at 7:00 pm with informal conversation. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm.
The presentations are free and open to the public.
Per our insurance requirements, anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Monthly Meeting
2026-05-28 19:30 - 21:30 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
ASG members Sue Bassett and Dr. Corinne Carter will discuss “Questar to Seestar – 20th and 21st Century Small Amateur Telescopes”. This will be a hybrid in-person/Zoom meeting. However, members are encouraged to attend in person as this is a “show and tell” session on telescopes. As always, children should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Our monthly meetings are usually held on the last Thursday of each month. Our speakers are drawn from all around the country, including experts from NASA, the Smithsonian, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and other scientific institutions. Our members also give presentations about subjects of interest to amateur astronomers.
The events are held at the Greenbelt Community Center. We encourage visitors to attend in person, although we will also broadcast the talk on Zoom. Come back a few days before the meeting to see how to join the Zoom meeting. We begin the meetings at 7:00 pm with informal conversation. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm.
The presentations are free and open to the public.
Per our insurance requirements, anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Monthly Meeting: Asteroid Day
2026-06-25 19:30 - 21:30 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt will meet at 7:30 PM on Thursday June 25 in Room 114 of the Greenbelt Community Center. The topic is Asteroid Day.* This will be a free-form get together to discuss and exchange information about asteroids and comets. It will include video(s), a poster session, a slide show, general discussion, and recognition of ASG members who have asteroids named after them. Bring an asteroid, if you have one. (Obviously, this applies to small ones that have fallen to earth. If your asteroid is large and still orbiting out in the solar system, please leave it where it is.) This will be a hybrid in-person/Zoom meeting. The Zoom info is below. Due to the nature of this session, some of the information will not be viewable on-line.
* Yes, Asteroid Day, June 30, is a real thing.
https://asteroidday.org
We will be celebrating it a few days early.
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Zoom info
greenbelt astro is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: ASG June 25
Time: Jun 25, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Zoom session opens at 7:00 for set-up and fixing glitches. Actual meeting starts at 7:30
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87098808126?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 870 9880 8126
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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One tap mobile
+13017158592,,87098808126#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Washington DC)
+16469313860,,87098808126#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US
Join instructions
https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/87098808126/invitations?signature=1ruP1JydSOrBa1NKc7xma6GRghgYP7GeFNW9wCtZU1E

Our monthly meetings are usually held on the last Thursday of each month. Our speakers are drawn from all around the country, including experts from NASA, the Smithsonian, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and other scientific institutions. Our members also give presentations about subjects of interest to amateur astronomers.
The events are held at the Greenbelt Community Center. We encourage visitors to attend in person, although we will also broadcast the talk on Zoom. Come back a few days before the meeting to see how to join the Zoom meeting. We begin the meetings at 7:00 pm with informal conversation. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm.
The presentations are free and open to the public.
Per our insurance requirements, anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Monthly Meeting: "The Dish" Showing
2026-07-30 19:00 - 21:30 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
July 20 is the anniversary of when humans first set foot on the moon in 1969. In keeping with our “Summer Film Festival” tradition, the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt will present a free showing of “The Dish”. This popular Australian film, starring the recently deceased Sam Neill, tells the story of the Parkes Radio Telescope’s role in the Apollo project.
You can view the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dyGpXcQl-g
The presentation will begin at 7:00 PM, 30 minutes earlier than our standard start time.
Due to licensing restrictions, this will be an in-person only event.
Our monthly meetings are usually held on the last Thursday of each month. Our speakers are drawn from all around the country, including experts from NASA, the Smithsonian, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and other scientific institutions. Our members also give presentations about subjects of interest to amateur astronomers.
The events are held in room 114 at the Greenbelt Community Center. There will be no virtual meeting today. This presentation will begin at 7:00 PM, 30 minutes earlier than our standard start time.
The presentations are free and open to the public.
Per our insurance requirements, anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Monthly Meeting
2026-08-27 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-09-24 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-10-29 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-11-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Come back closer to this meeting date for a description of the presentation happening.
Our monthly meetings are usually held on the last Thursday of each month. Our speakers are drawn from all around the country, including experts from NASA, the Smithsonian, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and other scientific institutions. Our members also give presentations about subjects of interest to amateur astronomers.
The events are held at the Greenbelt Community Center. We encourage visitors to attend in person, although we will also broadcast the talk on Zoom. Come back a few days before the meeting to see how to join the Zoom meeting. We begin the meetings at 7:00 pm with informal conversation. The presentation begins at 7:30 pm.
The presentations are free and open to the public.
Per our insurance requirements, anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Winter Solstice Potluck Party
2026-12-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt’s annual solstice party and potluck will be held on Thursday, December 17, at 7:00 pm in Room 114 of the Greenbelt Community Center. Bring food to share, and enjoy socializing and conversation with others interested in astronomy.
This event is in-person only.
