The Cedar Amateur Astronomers hosts Saturday Public Observing events featuring a guest speaker followed, if weather permits, by celestial viewings through telescopes at the facility. During viewing hours, society members will be available to answer questions and provide everyone with an opportunity to look through the Society’s telescopes.

Cedar Amateur Astronomers 2017 Public Event Schedule:

• March 18, 7:30 p.m. – Prof. Steve Spangler, University of Io
  wa, Department of Physics and Astronomy: “Planets around Other Stars”
• April 29, 8:00 p.m. – Prof. Robert Mutel, University of Iowa, Department of Physics and Astronomy: “Stellar rainbows: Spectroscopic observations using small telescopes” 
• May 13, 8:30 p.m. – Prof. Steve Spangler, University of Iowa, Department of Physics and Astronomy: “Planets around Other Stars”
• May 20, 8:30 p.m. – Mr. Vince Vella, CAA Member and current President: “What makes the stars shine? – The stories of six scientists who contributed to our current understanding of the Laws of Nature.”
• June 17, 9:00 p.m. – Mr. Carl Braken, CAA Treasurer:  “Astronomical Observing & Imaging Equipment: A presentation to showcase a range of typical astronomical observing and imaging equipment from the simple planisphere and star map, through binoculars, and different telescopes and mounts, eyepieces, and imaging options.”
• July 15, 8:30 p.m. – Mr. Vince Vella and Dr. Scott Bounds, CAA Members: “The Solar Eclipse; why, what, where and when.”
• August 12, 8:00 p.m. – Prof. Scott Baalrud, University of Iowa, Department of Physics and Astronomy: “Hawkeyes in Space: The Planeterrela”
• August 19, 3:00 p.m. – Solar Day – Mr. Carl Bracken, CAA Member: The Sun and Solar Eclipses 
• September 16, 7:30 p.m. – Mr. Zachary Luppen, University of Iowa: “Meteorites” 
• October 14, 7:30 p.m. – Mr. Brent Studer, CAA member: Stars Behaving Badly
• October 28, 7:30 p.m. – Lunar Night – Mr. Doug Slauson, CAA Member: “Earth’s Moon” – Moon, International Observe the Moon Night, InOMN 
• November 11, 7:30 p.m. – Prof. Hai Fu, University of Iowa, Department of Physics and Astronomy: TBA

The Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center is located at Palisades-Dows Nature Preserve and Observatory on the southeast edge of Palisades-Kepler State Park.  It can be reached by traveling south from Mount Vernon on Highway 1 past the bridge for the Cedar River. Directions to the observatory are indicated by brown State Park signs at the entrances to Ivanhoe Road on Highway 1 and near the observatory’s driveway at 1365 Ivanhoe Road.

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