Background

 

I have been the faculty advisor for the Ida B. Wells High School (SW Portland, Oregon) Astronomy Club. It has been one of the best and most valuable experiences in my 40 years of teaching. I retired from IBWHS recently. But I am going to continue working with the IBWHS Astronomy Club. I am ALSO going to help youth anywhere in Oregon who are interested in astronomy. Membership in the Coriolis Youth Astronomy Club is free. Attendance in the monthly Zoom meeting is free. Guidance starting your own Astronomy Club at your school or group is free. There will be some overnight events (Star Parties at dark sky locations!) that will have a fee.

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Ida B. Wells High School Astronomy Club

 

The IBWHS Astronomy Club is a very active and vibrant club. It has many facets and special interest groups:

• The Leadership Group plans club activities. They meet the first Monday of every month 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room 237..

• Every second Monday of the month, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room 237, is a general membership meeting. At this meeting student leaders engage members in a wide variety of fun activities. 

• The Observing Group and Community Service Group work together to plan star parties. Some star parties are for just club members. Others are led by club members and are open to the general public. Star parties are at Gabriel Park in SW Portland, Stub Stewart State Park 45 minutes west of Portland, and occasionally other exciting dark sky locations.

• The Dark Sky Group studies light pollution and are presently doing a lighting inventory of the IBWHS campus under the direction of Mike McKeag of the Oregon Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association.

• The Telescope Groups meets most Thursdays, 7:00 - 9:00 pm, in the IBWHS shop. They maintain, repair, and build telescopes. The membership in this group is limited for safety reasons. If you are interested in being on the waiting list, let me know.

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Check out the IBWHS Astronomy Club website. 

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If you do not attend IBWHS and want to create your own astronomy club you can use the IBWHS Astronomy Club as a model. Or you can just join the Coriolis Youth Astronomy Club as a free-lance member.

 

Coriolis Youth Astronomy Club Monthly Presentations on Zoom

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Every month on the fourth or fifth Monday we will have an adult guest speaker who will teach us about astronomy. Full details and a schedule here.

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Sign up!

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To sign up for the IBWHS Astronomy Club or the Coriolis Youth Astronomy Club click here. 

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Other Coriolis Youth Astronomy Club Activities

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The Coriolis Youth Astronomy club also sponsors youth astronomy activities that are not associated with the IBWHS Astronomy Club, such as The Wallowology Astronomy Event and Astronomy Camp at Malheur Field Station.

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