100 years of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society showing up for the sky and for each other.

This week on Planetary Radio.

I'm Sarah Al-Ahmed of the Planetary Society, with more of the human adventure across our

solar system and beyond.

What do amateur astronomical societies mean to the people who find them, and how do you find

yours? This week we take a trip to Griffith Observatory for the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles

Astronomical Society, one of the largest and oldest telescope clubs in the United States.

I sit down with the L-AAS Vice President and Centennial Committee Chair Laura Mae Abrone

to talk about what it took to pull off a star party with 100 telescopes.

Then we drop into the Centennial Dedication Ceremony and hear from some of the passionate members

at the Star Party about how amateur astronomy clubs like the LAAAS have shaped their lives. And of course, we'll close

with Bruce Betts, our chief scientist at the Planetary Society, for a classic what's up. If you love

planetary radio and want to stay informed about the latest space discoveries, make sure you hit

the subscribe button on your favorite podcasting platform. By subscribing, you'll never miss an episode full with new

and awe-inspiring ways to know the cosmos and our place within it. The Los Angeles Astronomical

Society turns 100 years old this year. It was founded in 1926 by 30 amateur telescope makers,

making it the oldest society of its kind in California and the second oldest in the United States.

And they're not alone. Across the world, clubs like this one have been gathering people around telescopes for well over a century.

On April 25th, the LAAAS threw a centennial celebration on the

lawn at Griffith Observatory, with a hundred telescopes to mark their hundred years of observing the

skies together. Unfortunately, it rained, but everyone showed up anyway. And what happened out there on that

wet lawn ended up being a really beautiful

...