Meetings

Attending PAS activities is a great way to learn more about astronomy, and to meet and swap stories with other members.

PAS operates two observatories: the historic Northmoor Observatory in Donovan Park, and the Decker-Grebner-Van Zandt Observatory, which is our “dark sky” observatory at Jubilee. Members have access to both observatories throughout the year.

Many of our members volunteer as keyholders and/or helpers, which allows us to open Northmoor Observatory to the public on Saturdays from mid-May through mid-October. And on clear summer nights, there are often impromptu star parties at the Jubilee observatory.

Details of scheduled PAS events (e.g., presentations at the Dome Planetarium) can be found on the Calendar and the PAS Facebook page.

Board Meetings

All members are invited to attend the monthly Zoom Board meetings, which are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm. A Zoom link will be emailed through our private email a few days before the meeting to all members.

Annual Schedule of Activities

As noted above, members are able to access Northmoor Observatory and the Decker-Grebner-Van Zandt Observatory (aka the Jubilee Observatory) throughout the year.

There are no regularly scheduled activities from December through February.

The PAS March meeting is on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. on a topic of interest to both amateur astronomers and the general public. This meeting is open to members of the public. See the PAS Calendar and Facebook page for details. We meet at the Dome Planetarium in the Riverfront Museum in downtown Peoria, IL. (Parking details below.)

There are no regularly scheduled activities in April.

The PAS May meeting is on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at Northmoor Observatory. It is open to both members and the general public. This meeting, which is primarily an opportunity for socializing, also serves as a great introduction to our historic telescope and observatory. Refreshments are provided.

There are no meetings during the summer months (June, July, and August). Instead, at sunset on Saturday evenings from mid-May through mid-October, PAS hosts public viewing nights at Northmoor Observatory.

The PAS September meeting is our Annual Meeting and Cookout, which is at the PAS Jubilee observatory. At this meeting, we thank our volunteers and select Board officers for the coming year. This meeting is only open to PAS members.

The PAS October meeting is on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. on a topic of interest to both amateur astronomers and the general public. This meeting is open to members of the public. See the PAS Calendar and Facebook page for details. We meet at the Dome Planetarium in the Riverfront Museum in downtown Peoria, IL. (Parking details below.)

The PAS November meeting is our Fall Banquet & Speaker Presentation, which is held on a Saturday in early November at a local venue in Peoria. Details are provided to PAS members via email.

Parking at Peoria Riverfront Museum:

Parking is available in the parking deck beneath the museum; the parking entrance is on Water Street. Enter the museum through the double doors at the far left side of the parking deck. At the end of the hallway, there are stairs and an elevator. Come up to the second floor and walk down the hallway to the planetarium.

Street parking should be free after 6:00 p.m. If you park on the Washington Street side of the museum, enter through the front entrance, then walk down the hallway to the left; the planetarium is at the end of that hallway. If you park on the Water Street side (along the street or in the city parking lot next to the restaurants), enter through the parking deck beneath the museum.