What Can I Observe at Spokane Astronomical Society Events?

What you can observe depends on the event and the season. The Spokane Astronomical Society (SAS) describes solar observing with white-light and Hydrogen Alpha (H-alpha) telescopes at some gatherings, and notes that summer meetings may focus on the sun because dark-sky time is scarce. The club's own announcement for its July general meeting says white light and Hydrogen Alpha solar telescopes "will be on hand," and that attendees can "learn how to safely observe the sun, and learn about what you are seeing." Because equipment and targets change from event to event, treat the current announcement as the authoritative source for any given meeting.

Solar observing: what the club says it offers

According to the SAS announcement, solar viewing at that meeting included two telescope types:

• White-light solar telescopes — show the sun's disk, sunspots, and limb darkening.
• Hydrogen Alpha (H-alpha) solar telescopes — show chromosphere features such as prominences, filaments, and plages.

The same announcement states the club will teach safe solar observing. That matters because the sun should never be viewed with the unprotected eye or with a telescope not fitted with a proper solar filter. The club's framing is educational: you learn both how to observe safely and what you are looking at.

Why summer events may center on the sun

The SAS announcement explains the seasonal logic directly: "Darkness is in such shortage this time of the year that this month we will be observing one star." In other words, long summer daylight in Spokane leaves little dark sky during evening meetings, so the club leans into solar observing instead. Around the solstice, expect solar targets to be more prominent; around darker months, expect more night-sky observing.

What else may be available

The announcement mentions the July meeting at the "Party Palace" site, described as a semi-rural location with indoor and outdoor space, and a burger cookout and potluck before the meeting. It does not list specific night-sky targets for that date, so the safest statement is that observing content varies with the event and the sky conditions.

If you want to know what will be set up on a particular night, check the club's announcements before you go. The site posts meeting notices with the date, time, location, and any special viewing plans.

Practical notes for attending

• Meeting times shift by season. The SAS general meeting is at 7:00 pm November–March and 7:30 pm April–October, on the second Friday of each month.
• Arrive early for pre-meeting food. The July announcement sets the cookout and potluck at 6:30 pm, with the meeting at 7:30 pm.
• Follow the site directions. The announcement gives a specific driveway instruction on Lehman Road — stay to the right at the fork to avoid disturbing the resident.
• Bring something to share if you like. The announcement invites side dishes, desserts, and drinks for the potluck, but frames it as optional ("if you are so inclined").

Quick reference

For the most current viewing plans, consult the Spokane Astronomical Society's announcements rather than assuming a fixed program.