Public Schedule
Events at Ashton Observatory
Our open season at Ashton Observatory runs from April through October. Every Saturday during that time frame are public nights - free admission, all are welcome. Activities get going around sunset. This year (2025) we plan to offer a classroom program on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays each month. Programs begin at 8:00 pm. Free admission! All ages welcome.
To download a PDF file of our season schedule, click the link below.
Off-campus events
Sometimes DMAS members may visit other locations and present astronomy programs or share information about astronomy and the Des Moines Astronomical Society.
What Happens on a Saturday Public Night?
- What happens on a Saturday Public Night? We are there every Saturday evening, April through October (but not April 6, 2024, due to solar eclipse happening April 8, 2024, and most DMAS members will be traveling). Activities start around sunset or 8:00 p.m., whichever comes first. Saturday Public Nights are free and for all ages.
- You don't need to bring anything other than your interest in astronomy and whatever questions you might have. Twice a month (2nd & 4th Saturdays) we have a classroom program, which starts at 8:00 p.m. The other evenings are stargazing through our large telescopes, skies permitting. If skies are cloudy we still tour and demonstrate our facility.
- Our classroom is climate-controlled, but telescopes must operate in ambient temperatures, so visitors should dress suitably for the time they will spend with telescopes.
- We do have bottled water inside the observatory, but modern restrooms are beside the parking lot.
- If you have a telescope of your own, you are welcome to bring it out and view the dark skies around Ashton - that will be very different from viewing the night sky from urban light pollution. Sometimes people have a telescope but need help to know how to operate or repair it, which we love to discuss - bring it with you!
- The county park is public access, so you may come to the dark skies there any time you wish, even if the observatory is not open.
- Even if the skies are cloudy, people still come out. Clouds might have gaps from moment to moment, so you never know for sure what might be possible to see. We can't open the domes if there is rain, but we can still talk about what's in the night sky.
- When weather is bad and there are no visitors after 9:00 pm, we may close the observatory.
