Welcome to Astronomy Club. As a member of the club, you are invited to attend our monthly observing nights. We have two nights per month where you can check out the night sky through large telescopes. We look at things such as planets, galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters. If you have never viewed the planets through large telescopes, it is quite the experience.
Niabi Zoo Night
There is a club of amateur astronomers in the Quad Cities called Popular Astronomy Club. It is a group of people with an interest in astronomy and who own a bunch of really large telescopes. On the third Saturday of every month (except during the winter), they set up their telescopes in the Niabi Zoo parking lot for events. The events are free and open to the public - anyone can go! Just show up in the Niabi Zoo parking lot around sunset (google "sunset time"), and they will help you see really cool things such as planets, galaxies, and nebulas. They usually go all night or until most people have left.
If you do go, please tell someone there that you are there with the PV Astronomy Club. We get "points" for attending their events. These points can lead to our own private Astro Events - they won't put on astro events for just us if we don't show interest in attending their regular public events.
You may also consider joining the Popular Astronomy Club. They meet once a month to listen to cool speakers and lecturers from NASA, various Observatories, and all-around science-y and space-y people. It is a really cool club, and I learn something new every time I attend a meeting. Let me know if you are interested in joining. Check out their website: https://www.popularastronomyclub.org/ for more information and where you can view their calendar of upcoming events.
Obviously, Astronomy depends on the weather. If it is raining or cloudy, the Popular Astronomy Club will cancel the event. Check their Facebook page for weather updates - https://www.facebook.com/QCPAC/
Menke Observatory Nights
There is another club of amateur astronomers in the Quad Cities called Quad City Astronomical Society. They have their own observatory north of Dixon, Iowa (north of the World's Largest Truck Stop off the interstate). On the fourth Saturday of every month, I take a group of students out there to use their very large telescopes. It is a bit of a drive - it basically out in the middle of nowhere. It can be difficult arranging rides, but we always manage to get it figured out. Email me or talk to me in person if you are interested in attending. Obviously, weather is a factor for these events, also.
Parent Permission Slip to attend Astro Night at Menke Observatory
Parent Permission Slip to attend Astro Night at Paul Castle Observatory
General Observing Night Tips
What to bring: If you go, dress for the occasion. Depending on the weather and time of year, it might be cold and there might be bugs. So, consider warm clothes/socks and bug spray. And when I say warm clothes, you should always assume it will be colder than you think it will be. Astronomy is at night out in a field, and it gets quite cold. Dress in layers! You can always take coats and such off, but if you don't come prepared you won't be able to put anything on. I especially recommend thick wool socks. Wear shoes and clothes that you don't mind getting a little dirty - the observatory is in the middle of field, after all. You might also want a folding chair and/or a blanket to sit on.
White light: Please don't use any flashlights or look at your phone, as white light will disrupt your night eyes. Your eyes get better at seeing in the dark over time. Your eyes adjust to seeing in the dark. And this means your eyes will be better at seeing faint objects such as galaxies. Looking at whitelight resets this 20 - 30 minute process and you ability to view faint objects through telescopes will be reduced.
If you go to lots of astronomy nights, you might want to invest in a red flashlight. Just go to Amazon and search for a red astronomy flashlight. You might also want to buy a green astronmy laser. I can give a recommendation of what type to get - just email me or ask me.
Weather: Go to this website: https://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/prov/Iowa_charts.html
Scroll down to Dixon, it says on the right that it is near Menke Observatory.
Learn to read the charts. It explains how to do it below the chart, but basically white = bad and dark blue = good