Member FC Equipment Instruction Night
2025-07-23 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
The ASRAS Forum (usually the 4th Wednesday) takes a break for July and August. Instead, members may attend Equipment Instruction evening(s) at the Farash Center.
The observatories containing the 20″ Dob, 16″ cave (need to confirm an instructor), possibly the newly restored 17.5″ Dob, and possibly more. Details still evolving.
We have enough interest for July 23 to be a go. (August 27 is a back-up date / if enough interest and available instructors.)

Public Observing Night
2025-07-25 19:30 - 23:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Join us for Public Observing at the Marian and Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy. All welcome. Members come help visitors look at deep sky objects through our telescopes!
Mark Minarich will be leading this event.

Member Observing Night
2025-07-26 19:30 - 23:30, 2025-08-23 19:30 - 23:30, 2025-09-20 19:30 - 23:30 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
If clear skies, take advantage of New Moon weekend with member Observing Night at the Farash Center. Please use the LOWER parking area and use red flashlights.
(Mark Minarich will be unavailable for this one, so looking for others to take the lead.)

Private Event
2025-08-01 - 2025-08-03, 2025-10-04 - 2025-10-05, 2025-10-11 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States

ASRAS @ RMSC "Perseid Nights at the Planetarium Festival"
2025-08-01 11:00 - 22:00 | RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium, RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium, Rochester, NY, United States
ASRAS is looking to help staff a table/telescopes for this RMSC event for at least one, and up to four possible times windows (two times listed below, on two possible days = four total possible slots):
11 AM – 3 PM
5 PM – 10 PM

Bring a telescope or help run one of the RMSC’s telescopes?

What will go on during this event? Telescope viewing (both at night and during the day), workshops, speakers, space-themed hands-on activities, food, Planetarium shows, and more.
Note: No ASRAS Member meeting for August, as RocheStar Fest 2025 is August 15-17, so this does not conflict with a member meeting.

ASRAS @ RMSC "Perseid Nights at the Planetarium Festival"
2025-08-02 11:00 - 23:00 | RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium, RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium, Rochester, NY, United States
ASRAS is looking to help staff a table/telescopes for this RMSC event for at least one, and up to four possible times windows (two times listed below, on two possible days = four total possible slots):
11 AM – 3 PM
5 PM – 10 PM

Are you interested in bringing a telescope or helping run one of the RMSC’s telescopes?

What will go on during this event? Telescope viewing (both at night and during the day), workshops, speakers, space-themed hands-on activities, food, Planetarium shows, and more.

Open House Aug2025
2025-08-10 12:00 - 15:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Come out and see our facility’s layout when it’s light, and see some of the equipment we have for member’s use.
(If you’d like to get practice opening up and operating a building/telescope, please let us know via the e-mail group so we can try to ensure there will be someone there at the Open House to accommodate you. )

Perseid Meteor Shower Peak - Member Viewing?
2025-08-12 - 2025-08-13 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Possible member viewing of the Perseid Meteor shower peak at the Farash Center (weather dependent.)

RocheStar Fest Night1
2025-08-15 18:00 - 23:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Arrival for camping, Astro-Jeopardy and music trivia contest (rain or shine)
Observing (beginning at dark, weather permitting)

RocheStar Fest!
2025-08-16 11:00 - 23:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
ASRAS Premiere Annual Event
See Registration form for costs and additional details, submit by August 10, 2025 for best value (and to help us get a headcount for food).
RocheStar Fest 2025 Registration

RSF Breakfast and Cleanup
2025-08-17 09:00 - 12:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Breakfast 9 am
Clean-up 10 am to Noon

Public Observing Night
2025-08-22 19:30 - 23:00, 2025-09-19 19:30 - 23:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Join us for Public Observing at the Marian and Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy. All welcome. Members come help visitors look at deep sky objects through our telescopes!
(Mark Minarich will be unavailable for this one, so looking for others to take the lead.)

Member FC Equipment Instruction Night Backup date
2025-08-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
The ASRAS Forum (usually the 4th Wednesday) takes a break for July and August. Instead, members may attend Equipment Instruction evening(s) at the Farash Center.
We have enough interest for July 23 to be a go. (August 27 is a back-up date / if enough interest and available instructors.)

ASRAS Board of Directors Meeting
2025-09-03 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Members welcome to attend. Contact Tony Golumbeck for details.

September Monthly Meeting
2025-09-05 19:30 - 21:30 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
In-person at the Marian and Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy in Ionia, NY. Will also be simulcast on zoom. Come early to socialize and setup telescopes for observing, if weather is conducive.
Speaker: Matt East, L3Harris
Topic: “The Search for Earth-like Planets”

Open House Sep2025
2025-09-07 12:00 - 15:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States

Ionia Fall Festival
2025-09-20 10:00 - 16:30 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
ASRAS will offer tours of our Observatory during the annual Ionia Fall Festival! Some ASRAS members will also staff a table at the event.
https://www.ioniaumc.org may have additional details about the event.

ASRAS Astronomy Forum (September 2025)
2025-09-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Zoom
Topic: Optics
Presenter:
As with most Forums, it will be geared towards a beginning or less experienced audience. All are welcome to attend. Contact Craig Kaplan (ckaplan0951@gmail.com) for zoom link.

Private Event
2025-09-26 - 2025-09-28 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States

October Monthly Meeting
2025-10-03 19:30 - 21:30 | RIT Carlson 1125, RIT Carlson 1125, Rochester, NY, United States
In-person at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Carlson Building Room 1125.
Will also be simulcast on zoom. Come as early as 7 pm to socialize.
Speaker: Sadie Coffin, RIT PhD Student in Astrophysics. Sadie also manages the citizen science project “Redshift Wrangler.” It is “hosted on the platform Zooniverse [and] invites and teaches participants to help our research team classify galaxy spectra and calculate redshifts for distant galaxies.”

Topic: “TBD”
Open and free for public to attend in-person.

Open House Oct2025
2025-10-05 12:00 - 15:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States

Public Observing Night
2025-10-17 19:30 - 23:00 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
Join us for Public Observing at the Marian and Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy. All welcome. Members come help visitors look at deep sky objects through our telescopes!

Member Observing Night
2025-10-18 19:30 - 23:30 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
If clear skies, take advantage of New Moon weekend with member Observing Night at the Farash Center. Please use the LOWER parking area and use red flashlights.

Astronomy Monthly Forum (Astro 101)
2025-10-22 19:30 - 20:30 | Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy, 8355 County Road 14, Ionia, NY, 14475, United States
DIY Smartphone Astrophotography (Brian Oyer & Kevin Lyons)
