Public skywatch events at the Science Museum of Virginia are posted on our website home page for the upcoming month. Check the RAS website for the exact date before you make your plans though. More information is available here.
Please check the weather page at https://richastro.org/weather for weather updates.
Other skywatch events are listed on the Richastro venues page at https://richastro.org/venues.
In the event of clouds or rain, the skywatch will be cancelled, but the evening events at the Science Museum are indoors and will take place regardless of weather conditions. The skywatch will begin after sunset, weather permitting.
A Skywatch is a gathering of astronomers who bring their telescopes to a site in order to provide visitors a view of celestial objects. The Richmond Astronomical Society and the Science Museum of Virginia host a skywatch on the front lawn of the Science Museum. Check the RAS website home page for the exact date a week or so before you plan your visit, to make sure, though.
Members of the Society set up their telescopes for anyone who wants to look at what is visible that night. Some of the telescopes will be commercially made and some will have been hand made by the person who brought it.
The start time for the Skywatch varies with season because of the gradual change in time of sunset over the course of a year, but can be roughly defined as 30 minutes after sunset, but no later than 9pm and no earlier than 7 pm.
Please join us at our next skywatch and enjoy a live view of the night sky. If you would like Richmond Astronomical Society astronomers to provide a skywatch at your event, please contact us at the Contact RAS Page and review our Outreach Event Guidelines.