We met with Aldrich Astronomical Society’s (AAS) President, Jim Zebrowski. Located in Paxton Massachusetts, the Aldrich Astronomical Society, which was founded in 1932, is one of the oldest amateur astronomy clubs in the United States and is dedicated to promoting an understanding of the night sky. The organization is named after Fred Davis Aldrich, who spoke to the youth about astronomy in the early 1900s. Members who appreciated his efforts wanted to remember him by naming the club in his honor.
Aldrich currently has 100+ members, and that's only including the astrophotography members! The club almost doubled its membership during COVID-19. People who had never had the time before but were interested, got involved, while existing members continued to stick around. You can sign up anytime to become a member here. Aldrich Astronomical Society hosts many types of community outreach events during the year, averaging close to 80+ events every year in locations spanning all over Massachusetts such as:
- Star Parties
- Monthly Meetings
- Library Loaner Telescope Program
- Guest speaker events from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
- Gallery and image sharing (via their “members only” section of their website)
- Astronomy events
- Science fairs
- "Build a Telescope" workshops
AAS also works closely with Scout groups, afterschool enrichment and homeschoolers. Most recently, they had 42 Scouts visit their "roll off" Observatory. NASA has also been a fantastic support to AAS in providing STEM activities for observatory-goers. Aldrich membership runs September 1st - August 31st and although the club strives to open every weekend weather permitting, you can view their calendar here to check ahead of time what's happening at AAS.
Jim, who has been with the club for 25 years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of Astronomy and Astrophotography, is very passionate when it comes to telescopes, all that you can see with them, and the process of capturing and processing your images of the night sky. We picked his brain to find out more about where his love and passion for astronomy came from.
Image Source: Aldrich Astronomical Society - a JWST presentation and Star Gazing event at Willard Clock Museum in Grafton, MA
Jim informed us there were a myriad of inspirations, one being Jim’s Father, who pointed out Venus to Jim at a very young age. Jim’s Father was in the Army during WW2 flying B17’s and he was able to locate planet Venus to identify where he was flying. “There's often a "Magic Moment" that sparks the interest for many who are in the hobby, such as seeing man land on the moon, seeing Mars Rover, etc”.
Jim believes it is crucial that we take our knowledge and education of the solar system and beyond, and use it to help us make informed and educated decisions here on Earth. Inspiring others, specifically the younger generation and up and coming amateur astronomers so that this hobby continues to grow and expand and open up pathways and so that people take a more serious approach to taking care of the planet and more specifically, light pollution.
Image Source: Aldrich Astronomical Society - An Astrophotography Exhibit at Lunenburg Public Library
Personal Favorites
The wide range of gear available in today's market can at times be overwhelming (especially for the beginner), so we took the liberty of quizzing Jim on some of his favorite gear and preferences. See what he had to say below!
Gear
Jim says he likes to keep it simple and use his trusty binoculars. He has a personal set as well as a set AAS invested in some for others to use. Jim uses an Orion 6" portable Dobsonian which goes everywhere with the club and is currently on loan for use at a Boy Scout Camp. “Simple materials to the front such as Alt Az, Dob, point and shoot rather than go-to, EQ options”.
Targets
Some of Jim’s favorite visual targets are planets and the moon. Jim has had many startled reactions and stunned expressions just from viewing the most basic targets; particularly the M13 Globular Cluster as well as the Andromeda Galaxy.
Skies
Jim’s favorite skies are those with as little light pollution as possible! Living in Worcester, Massachusetts, it is often difficult to get clear skies.
Processing Software
Jim enjoys using Deep Sky Stacker for stacking images and Photoshop for processing.
Image Source: Kevin Boucher - Messier 13
Jim leaves us with the best piece of advice he would give someone new and/or just starting out “You can get into astrophotography if you have a smartphone. The worst thing you can do is overbuy. Start small ie. Binoculars. The best telescope you can buy is one that you are going to use! Do not try to overachieve, get into it gradually and don't overwhelm yourself. Have fun with it!”
Learn More
Interested in learning more about astronomy organizations, observatories, and resources near you? Not sure where to begin? Check out our Astronomy Hub to learn more!
