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.
Latest News
Astronomy 102 Class
This class is targeted to beginning observers, adults and teens, or those interested in a refresher course in basic observational astronomy. Starts Feb 24 , 2026. More information.
Night At The Observatory
Our “Night At The Observatory” is a personalized program that allows small groups to experience an evening of imaging and observing deep-sky objects of their choice and keep all the photos captured using our historic Swanson 21″ telescope. Click here for more information.
- Astrophotography 101VBAS is offering our Introduction to Deep Sky Astrophotography (AP 101) course beginning Feb 26th. This 6-week course focuses on data acquisition of deep sky objects such as the ones pictured here. Students learn how to select the equipment they will need to take long exposure frames for capturing detail in faint deep sky objects.… Read more: Astrophotography 101
- Member Meeting – January 16thJoin us on Friday January 16, 2026 at 7:30 pm at the VBAS Planetarium for our monthly member meeting. Admission is open to the public. The science behind the structure of the universe Benjamin Gibson will be our speaker for January. He is an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. He describes… Read more: Member Meeting – January 16th
- Member Meeting – December 19Join us on Friday December 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm at the VBAS Planetarium for our monthly member meeting. Admission is open to the public. Apollo 8 In 1968 the Space Race was in full tilt. The Apollo program was on schedule to make it to the Moon before the end of the decade. However,… Read more: Member Meeting – December 19
Donate to the VBAS Stars for All Endowment Fund
VBAS established an agency fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville in 2024. VBAS is the sole beneficiary of the distributions from this fund, which is used to provide long term financial stability for our organization. Your donation will help continue VBAS operations well into the future.
Upcoming Shows
- February 2026 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.
February 7th – Rainbows and Unicorns: Spectral wonders of Monoceros
For reasons unknown, Rainbows and Unicorns naturally belong together. Everyone is delighted to see a rainbow in the sky, and who wouldn’t love to see the elusive unicorn? Join us on Saturday night and learn to spot the heavenly unicorn, Monoceros, prancing through our winter sky. Be warned: you may be enchanted as we reveal the manifold secrets of this mythical beast via the magical rainbow of astronomical spectroscopy.
Presented by Eric Silkowski
February 14th – Jupiter and Saturn
In observance of Jupiter’s close approach to the Earth (opposition), join us for an evening about our solar system’s gas giants!
Presented by Haley Rice
February 21st – Rainbows and Unicorns: Spectral wonders of Monoceros
For reasons unknown, Rainbows and Unicorns naturally belong together. Everyone is delighted to see a rainbow in the sky, and who wouldn’t love to see the elusive unicorn? Join us on Saturday night and learn to spot the heavenly unicorn, Monoceros, prancing through our winter sky. Be warned: you may be enchanted as we reveal the manifold secrets of this mythical beast via the magical rainbow of astronomical spectroscopy.
Presented by Eric Silkowski
February 28th – What Is the Universe Hiding?
Although stars and galaxies fill the night sky, most of the universe is made of something we cannot see. Dark matter reveals itself only through its effects, shaping galaxies and holding cosmic structures together. Follow the clues astronomers use to uncover this hidden mass and explore why one of the universe’s most dominant components remains unknown.
Presented by Maggie Sexton
