CRANFORD – Amateur Astronomers, Inc of Cranford celebrated their 75th Anniversary on November 17 at The Westwood Caterers of Garwood. In attendance were 53 past and current members who range from teenagers to seniors. AAI has always interested anyone who loves looking and learning about the night sky. Housed in the William Miller Sperry Observatory on the Union College campus in Cranford, the observatory is open to the public every Friday night with their twin domes looking at the heavens. One of the domes houses a 24 inch reflector and the other dome houses a 10 refractor, which was constructed by club members. Public lectures start at 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and they are on current topics in Astronomy.
Youth lectures are presented by the club at 7 p.m. to preregistered scout groups to help them earn their patches in Science.
Anyone interested in preregistering a scout group, please contact info@asterism.org. The club also celebrates celestial events such as eclipses by opening up the Observatory and having numerous telescopes outside the building. Membership requests for AAI can be sent to membership@asterism.org or register on their website of www.asterism.org.
Amateur Astronomers, Inc. along with the North Jersey Astronomical Group, two amateur astronomy clubs located in New Jersey, are once again holding their annual Astronomy Day on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The event will be held in two locations: Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside in the afternoon and at William Miller Sperry Observatory on the campus of Union College in Cranford in the evening. The theme is “Solar Max, Unlocking the Secrets of the Sun”. This is a family friendly event that focuses on learning about our Sun and its impact on us, and also about astronomy and related sciences in a fun and easy to understand atmosphere. This event appeals to both children and adults. The event is free and open to the public and does not require preregistration. So mark your calendars for Saturday, May 17, 2025 and come out to learn more about the Sun and our universe!
