Sharing the Night Sky with the Public Since 1949

For over seventy-five years, the Denver Astronomical Society has brought together stargazers across the Denver metropolitan area and beyond. The society hosts dozens of events and activities yearly to promote amateur astronomy across our unique region, one mile nearer the stars.

June

8:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Open House

Looking for a FREE fun family activity? Join the Denver Astronomical Society for our monthly Open House Saturday night at dusk. This event will occur on the south lawn of DU’s historic Chamberlin Observatory, 2930 E. Warren Avenue, Denver. Weather … Read More ...

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The Sounds of Awe

By Mark Laurin Mark Laurin is an amateur astronomer, a member of the Denver Astronomical Society for more than 15 years and has been active in astronomy outreach in the communities around Summit County since 2014. Here he shares what got him started working with the public, and what keeps him going. Why Do Outreach The essence of why I do outreach is the very title of this essay. It’s the opportunity to bear witness to that moment when someone sees the rings of Saturn for the first time. It’s hearing that person’s reflexive auditory response to the majesty and…
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2019 Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship Award

By Naomi Pequette Members of the Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship Committee are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 VNH Scholarship are Ryan Webster of the University of Arizona, Anna Maxey of Red Rocks Community College, and Daniel Percuoco-Poras of the University of Colorado, Boulder. The Denver Astronomical Society’s Van Nattan-Hansen Scholarship program provides support for graduating high school students and undergraduate college students majoring in astronomy and the physical sciences. The award was established in 1973 in memory of William R. Van Nattan, one of the founders of the Denver Astronomical Society, and Charles Hansen whose bequest greatly helped…
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Opportunity Knocks: DAS to Help Douglas County with Astronomy Outreach… And All Are Invited!

By Dena McClung The Denver Astronomical Society is pleased to announce that it is partnering with Douglas County’s Open Space and Natural Resources department for a members-only program at Sandstone Ranch on Saturday, October 19. The event will show off the dark skies at the ranch, as well as help train and encourage members to get involved in future DAS public events. Bring your telescope and learn from some of DAS’s public outreach enthusiasts how easy it is to share your passion about astronomy with the public.
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Monthly Skies, Summer 2019

by Zachary Singer My Friends, It’s been four years since I came on as the Denver Observer’s editor and (soon after) writer of the “Monthly Skies” column. When I started, we were still putting out an eight-page PDF—it was accompanied by a printed black-and-white edition. I miss the old publication in some ways, but I’m proud to have pushed for our move to WordPress—we’ve only scratched the surface of what the new platform can do. (Putting up our own video is one exciting possibility.) Around the same time that we reinvented the Observer, other Denver Astronomical Society members expanded our…
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Chamberlin Observatory Tours

The Denver Astronomical Society hosts weekly and monthly events* at the University of Denver’s historic Chamberlin Observatory, which features its prized 1894 Alvan Clark-Saegmuller 20-inch refracting telescope. The Observatory serves as the DAS home base for numerous Astronomy Nights, Open Houses, and special events throughout the year.

Due to overwhelming demand, we are changing how we reserve our Astronomy Nights and adding more to the calendar. For details, see our Reservations page.

If you have any questions about EXISTING reservations or want to change your existing reservation, email us at reservations@denverastro.org.

M•45 – Pleiades, Seven Sisters, Subaru image by Darrell Dodge

Astrophotography Special Interest Group

The Denver Astronomical Society (DAS) has established a Special Interest Group amongst its members devoted to Astrophotography. Do you want to learn or improve your skills in astrophotography? Do you enjoy viewing pictures of the Sun, Moon, Planets, or Deep Sky Objects? Can you take similar images? You may have skills that you could pass on to novice members. Consider joining DAS and being part of this Special Interest Group. Please email us for more information. astrophotogroup@denverastro.org

The Van Nattan-Hansen-Anderson Scholarship

Established in 1973, the DAS Van Nattan-Hansen-Anderson Scholarship supports graduating high school and undergraduate college students majoring in astronomy and the physical sciences. Interested and eligible students are invited to apply for funding on the Scholarship Page.