About BAS and BYA
Bartlesville Astronomical Society is an amateur astronomy club, founded in 1958, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Bartlesville Astronomical Society (BAS), a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, is dedicated to promoting astronomy education and awareness of astronomical and space-related events among its members and the public. BAS is led and operated by volunteers.
BAS is open to everyone with an interest in astronomy, at all levels of expertise. Some of our members are astronomy enthusiasts with decades of experience; others have just recently taken up the hobby of amateur astronomy. You do not need to own a telescope to be a member. In fact, we encourage you to join BAS and attend some observing events before you invest in a telescope, so you can sample various types of observing equipment and get advice from our helpful, experienced members.
Our monthly meetings feature presentations on a variety of astronomy and space science topics. We usually meet on the first Monday evening of each month. Meetings are open to the public and guests are always welcome. We also host public and members-only observing sessions (star parties). Check our calendar for event times and locations.
In addition, we have a thriving, interactive youth group, known as Bartian Youth Astronomers (BYA), for children ages seven through high school. Please visit the Youth page for more information about BYA.
We offer three different types of memberships: regular (adult) memberships, student memberships, and family memberships. For more details on memberships, please visit our Join page.
BAS Monthly Club Meetings: Our monthly meetings are open to the public and guests are welcome. Meetings typically take place on the first Monday evening of each month at the Bartlesville Public Library, in Meeting Room A, on the second floor. Occasionally this schedule is altered due to a holiday or other circumstances. Setup and casual conversation starts at 6:30 pm and the meeting starts at 7:00 pm. Meetings consist of club business and announcements, current observing highlights, and astronomy news, followed by an educational presentation by a guest speaker who may be a club member or a professional in the field. Details for each BAS meeting are listed on our calendar and Facebook page.
BYA Monthly Get-Togethers: Bartian Youth Astronomers (BYA) is open to all youth ages seven through high school. Monthly get-togethers of Bartian Youth Astronomers typically take place on the third Monday evening of each month at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 300 NE Madison Boulevard, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. (Map and directions.) Occasionally this schedule is altered due to holidays or other circumstances. Children under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Setup/social time starts at 6:30 pm and the official get-together starts at 7:00 pm. Special events may also be scheduled as opportunities arise. Our fun and educational programs rotate through topics in observational astronomy, creativity, hands-on workshops, and science and technology. Details for each BYA get-together are listed on our calendar and Facebook page.
Observing Events: We periodically host observing events, also known as star parties. These events bring us together in camaraderie and conversation while we enjoy viewing planets, the Moon, distant galaxies and stars, and more. As opportunities arise, we also try to take advantage of special occurrences such as eclipses and transits. Some star parties are for members only and some are open to the public. Details for observing events are listed on our calendar and Facebook page.
BAS is part of the Astronomical League and the Night Sky Network:
Milky Way banner background image attributed to: ESO/S. Brunier, via Wikimedia Commons