Ford Amateur Astronomy Club

06/10/2026

Since 1997, Astronomy at the Beach has inspired thousands of people to look up and discover the wonders of the universe. Organized by the Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs (GLAAC), this annual event has become Michigan's premier public stargazing experience.

We are asking for your help to keep this incredible community event completely free for everyone.

Event Details:
Friday, September 18, 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Kent Lake Beach within Island Lake Recreation Area
Admission is FREE and open to all ages.

What Visitors Will Experience:
More Than 50 Telescopes
View the Moon, planets, star clusters, galaxies, and nebulae through powerful telescopes operated by experienced amateur astronomers from across Michigan.

Educational Presentations:
Learn about astronomy, space science, and current discoveries through engaging talks, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.

Special Themes and Space Exploration Programs
Each year features unique programming celebrating space exploration, NASA missions, and our ongoing journey to understand the universe.

‍‍‍Family-Friendly Fun!
Whether you're a lifelong astronomy enthusiast or looking through a telescope for the very first time, Astronomy at the Beach offers an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages.

Why We Need Your Help
Although admission is completely free, hosting a large public event comes with significant expenses.

Your donation will help cover essential event infrastructure, including:
Event tents
Tables
Chairs
Educational activity areas
Volunteer support needs
General event setup and logistics

Our goal is to raise $8,000 to help offset these costs and ensure that Astronomy at the Beach remains accessible to everyone.

Every Donation Makes a Difference!
Whether you contribute $10, $25, $50, or more, your support helps introduce children, families, students, and community members to the excitement of astronomy and science.

By supporting Astronomy at the Beach 2026, you are helping create an educational experience that sparks curiosity, encourages STEM learning, and inspires the next generation of explorers.

Please Share
If you're unable to donate, you can still help by sharing this fundraiser with friends, family, coworkers, astronomy enthusiasts, educators, and community groups.

Together, we can keep Astronomy at the Beach free, educational, and inspiring for thousands of visitors.

Thank you for helping us bring the universe a little closer to home.

04/25/2026

OBSERVING NIGHT IS HAPPENING TONIGHT 04/25/26!
The latest weather models are working in our favor, and the forecasts show the clouds have a high chance to clear up just in time for our Public Observing Night! 🌌

We are incredibly excited to get the telescopes out, but we do have one very important warning: IT IS GOING TO BE COLD! 🥶
Temperatures are expected to be dropping to the 40s at the time of the event.
Please make sure to bundle up out there. Standing still in the dark gets chilly fast, so dress much warmer than you think you need to.

04/05/2026

Get ready to look up! 🔭✨

The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club is back at Spring Mill Pond for our 2026 observing nights! Telescopes will be pointed at the sky starting April 25th.

Which planet or constellation are you hoping to spot this year? 🪐✨

🔭 New telescope owners? This is the place to be! If you'd like help setting up your telescope, come before dark so we can set you up by sunset.

This event is weather permitting. Sign up at [email protected] for schedule updates or cloud cancellations.

03/28/2026

FAAC Astronomy Conference & Swap Meet today! 🔭 🌔 Hope to see you all there to get some neat gear and learn even more about what our universe has to offer! 🪐🌌

03/17/2026

We plan to be there with telescopes outside (weather permitting). Come out to see the all-new upgraded planetarium theater and check out Jupiter and other night sky objects in the telescopes.

You’re invited to the Mi-Sci Planetarium Dedication & Show Premier! Join us from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, March 20, for an evening of immersive space exploration.

⭐ Experience our new show, Hyperspace: Race Through the Universe
⭐ Astronaut food demonstrations
⭐ Mars Rover Challenge
⭐ Live Science Stage performances

Tickets are limited! Grab your spot: https://f.mtr.cool/zpfpqmkgva

03/17/2026

This will be a fun evening on the 27th! Come join us and look at the sky through our members’ telescopes. (In case of cloudy skies on Friday night, we’ll try to use Saturday instead).

Have you seen our upcoming event with General Motors Astronomy Club and Ford Amateur Astronomy Club!

Astronomy Night & Lantern Walk🌙💫

Date: March 27 (make-up date March 28)
Time: 8pm - 10pm
Location: 300 Family Dr, Milford, MI (Carls Family YMCA parking lot)

02/06/2026

Free download!

What will you see in the sky in 2026? Learn where the planets will be in 2026 and when solar eclipses & eclipses of the Moon will take place with the High...

01/27/2026

A new episode of our award winning show is now available!

Diane Hall of the Warren Astronomical Society discusses her trip to Estonia investigating the Kaali Impact Craters.

01/27/2026

https://earthsky.org/space/iconic-ring-nebula-holds-mysterious-iron-bar/?mc_cid=7676d96463&mc_eid=854002c701

Astronomers at University College London (UCL) and Cardiff University have discovered a mysterious bar-shaped cloud of iron inside the iconic Ring nebula.

12/02/2025

https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/mercury-before-sunrise-greatest-elongation-west/?mc_cid=0597ba73ce&mc_eid=854002c701

The innermost planet Mercury orbits the sun every 88 days. And Earth is moving, too. So Mercury goes between us and the sun pretty often, about every 116 days. It did this last at 9 UTC on November 20, 2025, reaching the point astronomers call inferior conjunction. And since then, Mercury has been s...