Monthly Meeting
2024-02-29 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Our February meeting will be on February 29. We meet at 7:00 pm for general discussion, and the presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Our speaker for this month is Ramin Lolachi, PhD, who will be discussing the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.
Ramin is an assistant research scientist working for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, based at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. His two main research foci are (1) light scattering at airless bodies like the Moon and asteroids and (2) measuring water vapor in the Martian atmosphere. He has been investigating how dust lofted above the surface of the Moon scatters sunlight to understand natural phenomena such as the mysterious Lunar Horizon Glow and the means of monitoring lunar dust, a known hazard, for the next generation of Moon explorers. He is also a part of the DART investigation team. DART is the world’s first planetary defense mission and successfully reduced the orbital period of the asteroid moon, Dimorphos, about its parent asteroid, Didymos, by colliding with it. His involvement in the mission includes modeling and measuring the amount of light scattered by the impact ejecta in order to characterize the transfer of momentum from the spacecraft to the asteroid—in other words, to determine how big a “shove” we managed to give it). This allows us to understand how to use the kinetic impactor technique as a means of protecting Earth from a potential future impact.
The talk will be held at the Greenbelt Community Center. The presentations are free and open to the public.
The lecture will also be available online for those who wish to participate remotely. Use the Zoom link below to attend the meeting.
Zoom Information

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86278087639?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 862 7808 7639
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Greenbelt Star Party
2024-03-02 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-03-30 20:30 - 22:30, 2024-04-06 20:30 - 22:30, 2024-04-27 21:00 - 23:00, 2024-05-04 21:00 - 23:00, 2024-06-01 21:30 - 23:30, 2024-06-29 21:30 - 23:30, 2024-07-06 21:30 - 23:30 and 5 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.

Greenbelt Star Party
2024-03-16 20:30 - 22:30, 2024-05-18 21:30 - 23:30 | 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. This star party will focus on the moon, although we will also view other celestial wonders as time permits.
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
2024-01-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
The meetings of the Astronomical Society of Greenbank are generally held on the last Thursday of each month. We meet at 7:00 pm for general discussion, and the presentation begins at 7:30 pm. Our speakers include NASA scientists and engineers, local experts from organizations such as the Smithsonian and the Applied Physics Lab, and club members.
The events are held at the Greenbelt Community Center. The presentations are free and open to the public.

Monthly Meeting
2024-03-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Our March meeting will be held on Thursday, March 28. We meet at 7:00 pm for general discussion, and the presentation begins at 7:30 pm. The presenter for this month is Corinne Carter, who will be giving a talk entitled “From Ada Lovelace to Grace Hopper: Pioneering Women of Information Technology” in honor of Women’s History Month.
The talk will be held at the Greenbelt Community Center. The presentations are free and open to the public.
Zoom Information
The lecture will also be available online for those who wish to participate remotely.

URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84901413280?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 849 0141 3280
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Solar Eclipse Viewing
2024-04-08 14:04 - 16:33 | City of Greenbelt Observatory, 8101 Northway Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Weather permitting, the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt will provide safe telescope views of the April 8 solar eclipse at the City of Greenbelt Observatory. The eclipse starts at 2:04 pm, reaches its maximum of 89% at 3:20 pm, and ends at 4:33 pm. Eclipse glasses will be distributed while supplies last.
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.

In accordance with Prince George’s County guidelines, masks are voluntary.

Monthly Meeting
2024-04-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Our April meeting will be held on Thursday, April 25. We meet at 7:00 pm for general discussion, and the presentation begins at 7:30 pm. We will meet this month to share stories and pictures of our experiences of the solar eclipse. While about 225 people gathered at the Greenbelt Observatory to watch the partial eclipse, some members traveled to see totality. Anyone is welcome to share their story during this meeting.
The talk will be held at the Greenbelt Community Center. The presentations are free and open to the public.
Zoom Information
The lecture will also be available online for those who wish to participate remotely.

URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84553674417?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 845 5367 4417
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Officers' Meeting
2024-05-13 19:30 - 20:30 | MD

Astronomy Day
2024-05-18, 2024-10-12 | City of Greenbelt Observatory, 8101 Northway Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Astronomy Day is a grass roots movement designed to share the joy of astronomy with the general population. It’s motto is “Bringing Astronomy to the People.” On Astronomy Day, thousands of people who have never looked through a telescope will have an opportunity to see first-hand what has so many amateur and professional astronomers so excited. Astronomy clubs, science museums, observatories, universities, planetariums, laboratories, libraries, and nature centers host special events and activities to acquaint their population with local astronomical resources and facilities. Many of these events are located at non-astronomical sites; shopping malls, parks, urban centers—truly bringing astronomy to the people. It is an astronomical public-relations event that helps highlight ways the general public can get involved with astronomy—or at least get some of their questions about astronomy answered. Astronomy Week encompasses Astronomy Day, starting on the previous Monday and ending on the following Sunday.
The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt will be participating in Astronomy Day by holding a star party that evening at the City of Greenbelt Observatory.

Monthly Meeting
2024-05-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt will hold its May meeting on Thursday, May 30, at the Greenbelt Community Center. The speaker will be Agnes Conaty, who will give a presentation entitled “Citizen Science and the GLOBE Program.” We meet at 7:00 pm for general discussion, and the presentation begins at 7:30 pm.
The presentation is free and open to the public. An online option to participate in the meeting is available via Zoom.
Zoom Info

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83773732827?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 837 7373 2827
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Monthly Meeting
2024-06-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
For our Annual Summer Film Festival, the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt will present Woman in Motion, the story of how Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols became a spokesperson for NASA and recruited a new generation of diverse, aspiring astronauts. The showing will be Thursday, June 27, at 7:00 pm in Room 114 of the Greenbelt Community Center.
Please Note: The start time is half an hour earlier than usual because of the length of the movie. Due to licensing restrictions, this will be an in-person-only meeting. We cannot broadcast the movie over Zoom.

Monthly Meeting
2024-07-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD, 20770, United States
Green Bank 100-Meter Radio TelescopePhoto credit: Kevin A. Wilson

The speaker for our July meeting will be Dr. Patrick A. Taylor of the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. He will be speaking on the topic of planetary radar astronomy. The meeting will be on July 25 at the Greenbelt Community Center. We gather for informal conversation at 7:00 pm and the talk begins at 7:30 pm. You may also attend the lecture via Zoom.
Dr. Taylor grew up just down the road in Annapolis and Davidsonville, Maryland. He did his undergraduate work in physics and astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park, and then earned a PhD in astronomy from Cornell University. He spent almost a decade working at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico before moving to the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas. He then moved to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is currently the radar division head for NRAO and the project director for ngRADAR, a project to put a high-power radar transmitter on the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia.
Zoom Meeting Information

URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84215108792?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 842 1510 8792
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Greenbelt Star Party
2024-10-05 20:00 - 22:00, 2024-10-26 19:30 - 21:30 | 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.
Please note: Due to the terms of our insurance coverage, minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all ASG events.

Greenbelt Star Party
2024-10-12 19:30 - 21:30 | 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. This star party will focus on the moon, although we will also view other celestial wonders as time permits.
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.
Please note: Due to the terms of our insurance coverage, minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all ASG events.
