Rittenhouse Astronomical Society

Rittenhouse Astronomical Society RAS was founded in 1888. Considered the oldest astronomy society in the country. Our monthly events feature guest speakers, planet and rocket reports, and more!

We hold live events each month along with occasional zoom meetings, and open houses at the Ryan☀️ observatory. Named for early American astronomer David Rittenhouse, RAS offers all interested persons an opportunity to participate in the activities of an astronomical group. Under normal circumstances, the Society meets monthly at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and conducts public events at Ryan Observatory at Muddy Run in Holtwood, PA, but for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic we will meet over Zoom.

10/08/2026

Head on outside tonight between 7:45 and 9pm. Look north-northwest, high up in the sky to find Draco. The dracnid meteor shower peaks tonight! I sure do love a meteor shower, don't you?

10/06/2026

Early riser? You'll be able to catch Jupiter and the moon hanging out in the early morning sky. The moon will occult Jupiter at approximately 4:20 EST and re-emerge around 5:24. Unaided eyes are adequate for this event. Wishing you clear skies!

Come on out and join the World wide celebration!
09/17/2026

Come on out and join the World wide celebration!

09/11/2026

Wanna spot the International space station? There's plenty of chances through mid-September. You can see these passes with the naked eye and they last 3-6 minutes. The International space station passes usually start around 7:45 PM to 8:40 PM for us here in Pennsylvania. Head on over to NASA Spot the Station and see when it's passing by you!

08/30/2026

Did you sign up to send your name? I can't wait to see what we see!

I caught a glimpse!
08/28/2026

I caught a glimpse!

08/27/2026

Tonight's the night! But will we catch a glimpse, of tonight's lunar eclipse? While you are hearing everyone call it a partial eclipse, approximately 96 percent of the moon will be eveloped in Earth's shadow and that beautiful deep red hue will be apparent right around midnight. 12:12 to be exact. It will begin around 9:23 pm so head out a few minutes early if you can to watch the transition. If you want to see it through to the end, prepare to be up until 3:00 am. I'm hoping you can catch a glimpse between the clouds wherever you are. As always wishing you clear skies.

08/12/2026
08/12/2026

Provided that you have clear skies this evening.... you're in for a show! The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight. Best viewing time is between midnight and predawn. Make sure to stay away from city lights, dark adapt and enjoy! Wishing you clear skies!

07/20/2026

One giant leap for mankind

History was made on July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first to set foot on the Moon.

For more than 5 decades, the total number of moonwalkers has remained at 12. NASA will change that with Artemis IV.

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Philadelphia, PA
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