The Forsyth Astronomical Society provides numerous free public outreach events every year. At these events, club members bring a variety of telescopes and other equipment so that the public can observe the wonders of the night sky. Our events are held at museums, libraries, festivals, state parks, and city parks in Forsyth, Surry, Stokes, Wilkes, and Yadkin counties.
Public Observations & Events
Public observations and events are held on a regular basis at:
- Kaleideum in Winston-Salem (formerly Kaleideum North and SciWorks)
- The Forsyth Country Central Library
- Pilot Mountain State Park (20 miles northwest of Winston-Salem)
- King Central Park
- Stone Mountain State Park (in Roaring Gap, NC, straddling Wilkes and Alleghany counties)
Private Observations & Events
We also have educational outreach programs for groups such as the Boy and Girl Scouts and observing events at local schools. These are typically for large groups and are not open to the public.
If you’d like to schedule an event, please contact us here. Note that not all requests can be accommodated – we recommend that small groups attend our public observations.
Member Only Observations
FAS holds club member-only observations at our private site and observatory near Pilot Mountain and club member outings to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Recently, our observatory has been upgraded with a ZWO ASiair allowing any member (after training) to operate the telescope for astrophotography.
Scheduled Public Observations and Events
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Solar Observation at Winston-Salem State University (Saturday, October 5 from 10:00 AM to Noon)
WEATHER UPDATE: This event will take place as scheduled. FAS will hold a public solar observation at Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, October 5 from…
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CANCELED – Public observation at Pilot Mountain on Friday, October 4
EVENT CANCELED: Pilot Mountain has canceled all programs for October so park staff can assist in western North Carolina. On Friday, October 4, the Forsyth…
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Solar Observation at the Yadkinville Harvest Festival (Saturday, September 21 from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM)
WEATHER UPDATE: This event will take place as scheduled. FAS will hold a public solar observation at the Yadkinville Harvest Festival on Saturday, September 21…
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Public observations at Pilot Mountain – Fall 2024
The Forsyth Astronomical Society and the rangers of Pilot Mountain State Park will host three free public astronomy observation at Pilot Mountain State Park this…
Post Events and Wrap Up
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That’s a wrap! The April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse
The April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse has come and gone. At our May meeting, several of our members regaled us with stories about their experiences…
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That’s a wrap! The LAST Public Observation at Kaleideum North on December 30, 2023
That’s it! We had a great night at Kaleideum North for the LAST observation ever at this location. Kaleideum North closed on December 31st and…
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That’s a wrap! Public Observation at Forsyth Central Library – December 2023
We paid a visit to the Forsyth County Central Library on December 14 for a Night Under the Stars. Jupiter, and Saturn were both shining…
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That’s a wrap! Observation night at Pilot Mountain – November 3, 2023
Finally, the clouds cleared and the weather held steady. We made it up to Pilot Mt. State Park. Somewhere between 175 to 200 people joined…
When attending a public observation or just going out on your own, there are some observation hints and etiquette that should be followed.
FAS does take photos of members and their equipments at our observation events for our website. Occasionally, individuals from the general public will appear in these photos. If anyone wishes to have their photo removed from our website, please contact us.
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