About the Big Sky Astronomy Club
In the Spring of 2000, several valley residents were attending a Continuing Education astronomy class at our local Flathead Valley Community College. As a result of their common interest in the subject, the instructor and several of the class participants began discussing the possibility of forming a club. The Big Sky Astronomy Club was formed in August of that year. Today, the club claims a membership of about 30 amateur astronomers of all ages and backgrounds.
Our Mission
The mission of the Big Sky Astronomy Club is to share our varied interests in, our collective knowledge of and unbridled passion for the science of astronomy amongst its members, with the residents of our fair valley and, to the extent possible, the rest of the residents of our Pale Blue Dot.
Our Vision
- To deepen our club members' understanding and knowledge of the science of astronomy.
- To gain a personal appreciation of the beauty of the universe through actual physical observation of objects in both the nighttime and daytime skies.
- To promote public awareness of astronomy through the sponsorship of public presentations and star parties.
- To acknowledge the detrimental effects of light pollution and to promote and encourage the use of night-sky-friendly lighting amongst our members and the general public.
Officers & Directors
Learn more about our club's officers and directors.
Jim Rittenburg
Jim Rittenburg serves as President of the BSAC.
Bill Hartford
Bill Hartford serves as Vice President of the BSAC.
Don Nisewanger
Don Nisewanger serves as Vice President of the BSAC.
Alex Romayev
Alex Romayev serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the BSAC.
Mark Paulson
Mark Paulson serves as Board Chair of the BSAC.
Bill Hanna
Bill Hanna serves as Director of the BSAC.
Kathie Payne
Kathie Payne serves as Director of the BSAC.
Our Work With Glacier National Park
Our club has partnered with Glacier National Park for well over a decade to assist them with several ongoing astronomical programs.
Volunteer Support for the Summer Astronomy Program
Each year, we provide much needed volunteer support for their popular and highly successful Summer Astronomy Program. This popular program offers afternoon solar observing, followed by nighttime observing sessions five days a week from July through early September. These sessions are held at the Apgar Visitors' Center on the west side of the park and at the St. Mary Visitors' Center on the east side. Club members volunteer their time, their telescopes and their knowledge of the night sky to assist Glacier's visitors in enjoying the truly dark skies in the park.
Public Star Parties
During the peak observing months of July and August, the Big Sky Astronomy Club and the park jointly host three public star parties under the incredibly dark skies at the Logan Pass Visitors' Center, located at Logan Pass at the summit of Going-To-The-Sun Road. Between 500 and 700 visitors attend each of these very popular events. Attendees are first treated to a green laser pointer "sky tour" led by park staff and club members and then queue up at the large amateur telescopes to take in closeup views of the Moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
Milestones in Dark Sky Advocacy
In 2017, after several years of work, Glacier National Park and its Canadian sister Waterton Lakes National Park jointly achieved a significant milestone. They were awarded the world's first trans-border International Dark Sky Park designation by the International Dark Sky Association. The Big Sky Astronomy Club provided a significant amount of support in the park's efforts towards achieving this goal. Club members spent the better part of three summers inventorying all of the park's existing outdoor lighting, which was only one of the many requirements of the application. The goal of performing the lighting inventory was threefold: (1) to identify and remove any obsolete and unnecessary outdoor fixtures, (2) to identify every necessary outdoor light fixture in the park that did not comply with "dark sky" standards and then to replace those outdated fixtures with new, energy efficient, dark-sky compliant lighting, and (3) to establish a multi-year plan to bring all of the necessary lighting in each park up to Dark Sky Standards. Being able to assist Glacier/Waterton in the creation of this "first-of-its-kind" trans-border International Dark Sky Park was one of the Big Sky Astronomy Club's proudest moments.
Observatory Project
Also in 2017, the Park initiated a project to construct an observatory, complete with a research-grade, 20-inch Plane Wave telescope near its St. Mary Visitors' Center on the east side of the park. Funding for the project came from a special grant by the Glacier National Park Conservancy. BSAC club members assisted with the observatory's construction, configuration and startup. It was formally dedicated on Thursday August 22, 2019.
Why Join the BSAC?
Our members bring with them a wide range of interests and experience. Whatever your interest is, it is likely that one or more of our members also share that interest. No matter what your level of knowledge of astronomy is - from novice to PhD - all that is required is a basic interest in or simple curiosity about the marvelous wonders that exist in our awe-inspiring universe.
Our meetings and star parties offer our members a chance to make new friends, to discuss our own personal astronomical "discoveries" and to learn about exciting, recent developments in astronomical research.
The club meets monthly at the fire hall at the West Valley Volunteer Fire Department on Farm-To-Market Road. Located approximately six miles northwest of Kalispell, the facilities offer a very nice meeting room and relatively dark skies. Our meetings are held on the third Friday of each month. Following the meeting and weather permitting, club members will have telescopes set up in the large parking area at the fire hall to allow our visitors to do some casual observing with us.
Additional Benefits of Membership
Magazine subscription discounts - Both Astronomy Magazine and Sky and Telescope offer our club members discounts on subscriptions to their magazines. To be eligible for the discount, you must process your initial subscription or renewal through the club.
Star Parties - We typically sponsor several public star parties each year. Undeniably, these events are the highlight of our summer observing season. Check our Events Page Calendar for details on this year's upcoming events.
Other Public Outreach events - Throughout each year, BSAC club members provide Public Outreach services to many different groups. Various youth groups, such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Brownies, have taken advantage of programs offered by the BSAC. Club members have provided classroom astronomy programs to elementary, junior and senior high students and, for several years, offered a Continuing Education Course at Flathead Valley Community College. Upcoming outreach programs can be found on our Events Page Calendar.
Individual Memberships are $36.00 per year, while Family Memberships are $48.00 per year.
Become a Member