What Kinds of Activities and Interest Areas Does LCAS Offer Members?

Joining the Lake County Astronomical Society (LCAS) gives you access to a recurring schedule of meetings, member-only dark sky observing, club trips, a book club, and equipment rentals, along with a community that spans complete beginners to accomplished observers and astrophotographers. The activities below are the ones LCAS lists as member benefits, so they are the practical answer to what your $25 annual dues actually get you involved in.

Meetings and regular gatherings

• Monthly member meetings are held on the third Friday of each month. They are free and open to the public, so you can attend before deciding whether to join.
• Public star parties follow each public meeting, weather permitting. These are open to the public rather than members only.
• A monthly book club discussion group is listed as a member benefit, giving members a recurring, non-observing way to stay involved.

If your main interest is learning in a classroom-style setting before committing to late nights outdoors, the monthly meeting plus book club is the low-commitment entry point.

Observing opportunities

LCAS does not have a permanent observatory. Instead, member-only observing happens at dedicated dark sky sites provided by the McHenry County Conservatory:

• Twice a month, March through November, at locations in McHenry County.
• These dark sky events are limited to members, which is the clearest practical reason to join rather than just attend public events.
• Public star parties and Astronomy Under The City Lights events (run with public libraries across Lake, Cook, and McHenry counties) are the public-facing alternatives.

So the split is straightforward: public events for casual attendance, member-only dark sky sessions for regular observing.

Trips, equipment, and shared experience

• Club trips to remote dark sky locations are listed among member benefits, alongside the local dark sky nights.
• Rental scopes and binoculars are available to members for a nominal fee, and the club owns some basic telescopes members may rent.
• Fellowship with club members is the informal benefit that matters most if you are deciding between brands or techniques: LCAS describes itself as a place to look through other members' scopes before buying your own.

Interest areas you can pursue

LCAS explicitly names astrophotography as an area members can explore, and describes its membership as a mix of accomplished observers and astrophotographers alongside people new to the hobby. That means the club is structured to serve both ends:

Joining and timing

Dues are $25 per calendar year, a flat rate for individuals and families. If you join during the last three months of the year, that payment covers the remainder of the current year plus all of the following year — worth knowing if you are considering joining in late autumn, since the dark sky season runs through November.

Membership questions go to the Membership Chair, and general questions to the Publicity Chair; both contacts are listed on the site.