Rio Rancho Astronomical Society, Inc.

06/10/2026

RIP my friend…

Astronomer and comet-hunter Alan Hale passed away on Saturday, June 6th, at 68 years old in his home in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
Read more: https://buff.ly/kA3I1Ef

05/18/2026

On the evenings of May 18–20, don’t miss a beautiful celestial meetup 🌙✨⁠
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A thin crescent Moon will pass by the two brightest planets — Venus and Jupiter — low above the western horizon shortly after sunset. All three will be easy to spot, even from the city. And as a bonus, Castor and Pollux will shine nearby, making the view even prettier ⭐️⁠
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Just keep in mind: the Moon just passed its new phase, so it won’t stay visible for long after sunset. To find the best viewing time for your location, use the Star Walk 2 app 📲⁠
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05/17/2026

NGC 4038/NGC 4039, the Antennae Galaxies. 93-minute exposure taken at our White Ridge Dark Site, May 16, 2026

05/11/2026

Hehe… the more you know… we have heard all the Apollo stuff forever!!

05/04/2026

Happy Star Wars Day!!

04/15/2026

04/12/2026

On this day in 1981, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched for the first time on STS-1. On board were astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen.

04/10/2026

Something to do tomorrow!! Steve Zellars and Laurie Wells have photos in this exhibition!!

04/02/2026

Menu looks really different!!

Brisket and cobbler and quiche, oh my!

Curious what astronauts eat on a 10-day trip around the Moon? Read about how we design and prepare meal plans for Artemis II: https://go.nasa.gov/4v1Xmwt

04/01/2026

Happy April Fools!! Don’t be sucked in!

Still the best prank our summer students have ever pulled. 😅 This photo is not edited - the students physically placed an "L" and "G" on the NRAO building!