Des Moines Astronomical Society
Des Moines Astronomical Society
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Ashton Observatory

Ashton ObservatoryAshton ObservatoryAshton Observatory

The night sky is calling you

Ashton Observatory

Ashton ObservatoryAshton ObservatoryAshton Observatory

The night sky is calling you

COVID-19 status

Unfortunately the status of new COVID virus variants is becoming more concerning so we will again suspend regular hosting of public events. People are free to come to the park and grounds surrounding Ashton Observatory if they wish - it's a public park, but the Observatory will not be open. Outdoor activities can minimize infectious risks. We did gather outdoors at Ashton for the recent lunar eclipse on May 15 - it was a beautiful night and a number of visitors stopped by and enjoyed the views. Hope you got a chance to see the eclipse. Here are a few photos from that night taken by a DMAS member.

Exploring the Night Sky over Central Iowa

 When normal activities resume, this is what we say about DMAS:  The Des Moines Astronomical Society is a club of amateur astronomers dedicated to sharing their passion for astronomy with visitors to Ashton Observatory located in dark skies northeast of Des Moines. The Observatory is open to the public each Saturday evening, April through October. Admission is free, and for all ages. Saturday Public Nights begin at 8:00 p.m. and sometimes begin with a classroom presentation. Stargazing through the large telescopes in our two domes at Ashton Observatory follow as sky conditions allow. 

Saturday Public Nights

Saturday evenings from April through October offer programs and stargazing for the general public. Free admission.  The classroom action begins at 8:00 p.m.

Private Groups

Schedule a private visit for your group, club, students, family, to experience the night sky away from urban light pollution. 

Daytime visits are also available.

Find out more

Online Presentation January 15

A special Zoom meeting was presented on January 15, 2022, sponsored jointly by the Ames Area Amateur Astronomers (AAAA) and the Des Moines Astronomical Society (DMAS). Gabe Brammer presented his work using gravitational lensing to detect a concealed supernova. Brammer has a PhD in astronomy from Yale and has worked around the globe at various astronomy facilities. He is currently in Denmark. 


To view a video recording of the program, click the link below and enter the passcode (must include the "?" at start and "." at end). 


https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/GofF2CrFqUKXu62hrgXLkNh61T-K3DaQzHiQg95EoIk-kRzGJKUh5iIEBGp1pQ-_.A4h_sPluaO7jlCG2 


Access Passcode: ?NMg9CA.

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Mailing address:

The Des Moines Astronomical Society, Inc.

PO Box 111 

Des Moines IA, 50301 


Email address: 

info@dmastronomy.com

The Des Moines Astronomical Society, Inc.

Copyright © 2021 Des Moines Astronomical Society - All Rights Reserved.

Ashton Observatory is located in Ashton Wildwood County Park, Jasper County, IA

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