About the Raleigh Astronomy Club (RAC)
The Raleigh Astronomy Club (RAC) is a 501(c)(3) North Carolina non-profit organization that was founded in 1978 to foster education and interest in astronomy in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area. Membership in the Raleigh Astronomy Club is open to anyone with an interest in astronomy. There are no requirements for any equipment or expertise in science or astronomy, only an interest in the night sky.
RAC Observing Session
Outreach and Observing
RAC provides educational lectures, facilitates observing sessions, conducts public observing sessions, astronomy workshops, and enables social connections for amateurs to learn more about astronomy and to enhance their enjoyment of the hobby (see the page on Meetings). All age groups are represented and RAC welcomes family involvement, although there is no children’s program at this time.
Several times a year RAC schedules observing sessions for the general public, where members provide their telescopes and expertise in showing the sun, moon, planets, and deep-sky objects. You can read more about our public observing sessions.
The Club also co-hosts the annual Astronomy Days event in conjunction with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Astronomy Days attracts over 12,000 people annually.
Meetings
RAC normally has two meetings every month. One meeting is an indoor meeting, held on the second or fourth Friday of the month, where members share their astronomical interests, listen to guest lecturers, and learn about club activities. Indoor meetings are currently helf at the Crafts Center on the NC State campus beginning at 7:30PM. The other meeting is an observation session at our “darker” sky site on the opposite second or fourth Friday of the month, dependent on the moon phase. Please note that observing sessions are dependent on the weather, so please check back on the web site the day of the observing session to see the status.
In addition, RAC has special interest groups that meet separately to discuss particular aspects of amateur astronomy, such as astronomical imaging (astrophotography). For more information see the Club Calendar.
Membership
Membership in the Raleigh Astronomy Club provides further benefits, such as use of Club owned telescopes and emails to notify of impromptu observing sessions.
For over four decades, we have helped members learn more about all aspects of astronomy and make connections with others interested in amateur astronomy.
Visitors are always welcome to our meetings!
