Welcome to VBAS!
The Von Braun Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization of amateur and professional astronomers. We are sharing our love of space with the community through our planetarium and observatories located in Monte Sano State Park just east of Huntsville, Alabama.
Upcoming Shows
- May 2024 Planetarium Shows
All planetarium shows begin at 7:30pm.
Admission opens at 7:00pm; $5/adult, $3/student, 6 and under free.
Telescope viewing afterwards on clear nights.
May 4 – In a Galaxy Far, Far Away
On Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with you!), let’s explore some of the real destinations in our universe that resemble key locations in the Star Wars films. Light Sabers allowed, attendance in costume
Presented by Alex Hall
encouraged!
May 11 – Planetarium Centennial
The concept of a planetarium was started exactly one hundred years ago! We will explore a short history of planetariums through history and make predictions about the planetarium of the future.
Presented by Tom Burleson
May 18 – The Real Death Star: Neutron Stars… with a helping of Nuclear Pasta
George Lucas gave us the fictional Death Star, but did you know the universe is full of real death stars? Neutron Stars, remnants of supernovas, are the real thing. They can produce beams of energy sweeping through space that can sterilize an entire planet. When first discovered as pulsars they were even thought to be aliens! Join us as we explore these extreme stars where ordinary matter is crushed into a very unappetizing dish called “Nuclear Pasta.”
Presented by Eric Silkowski
May 25 – Hubble and the Space Telescope
One hundred years ago this year, Edwin Hubble discovered distant galaxies outside our Milky Way.
Thirty-four years ago, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched to begin a spectacular job informing us about the cosmos, including distant galaxies.
Presented by Beth Bero
