Logo featuring silhouettes of two people and telescope, titled 'Northwest Suburban Astronomers NSA' on a starry background.

Welcome to Northwest Suburban Astronomers!

Our club is based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. With a wide range of interests, experience, and equipment, our growing membership is making us one of the largest astronomy clubs in the midwest US. Here you can find out about our public meetings, star parties, and the benefits of becoming a member.

Explore the Sky, attend Events, Learn About the Universe, and more!

  • Winding Creek Observing
  • Milky Way galaxy at night, showing dense star field and cosmic dust clouds.
  • Night sky with aurora borealis and stars, telescope silhouette, and trees in the foreground.
  • Person setting up a large telescope outdoors on grass with trees in the background.
  • Outdoor presentation with audience seated on benches, surrounded by trees.
  • A classroom with students seated facing two large projection screens displaying a presentation. A teacher stands near the front. The periodic table of elements is on the wall.
  • Wildcat May 2023
  • A person adjusting an array of telescopes outdoors
  • Audience listening to a presentation about the Dark Energy Survey in a lecture hall.
  • A man in a suit gives a presentation on the Webb Space Telescope, pointing to a slide with technical details and an illustration of the telescope.
  • Night sky with the Milky Way galaxy and numerous stars.
  • A nighttime scene showing a sign for "Northwest Suburban Astronomers" illuminated by red lights, set against a starry sky and dark landscape with trees.
  • Outdoor stargazing event with telescopes on a parking lot, surrounded by trees and cars. People are seated nearby using telescopes in the evening.
  • People gathered at a table in a busy indoor setting, engaging in discussion and exchanging papers, with various documents and brochures spread out on the table.
  • Person using a large telescope outdoors
  • Indoor presentation in conference room with a speaker at the podium, slide on astronomy industry, and audience seated.
  • Nighttime scene with two telescopes set up in a grassy area under a starry sky. A car is parked nearby with its trunk open, emitting red light. The telescopes are surrounded by equipment and wires, illuminated by red and blue lights. Trees and a pavilion are visible in the background.
  • Audience watching a presentation on a projector screen in a conference room.
  • Close-up of a telescope setup with cables and equipment in a parking lot at dusk, with people and cars in the background.
  • Starry night sky with Milky Way galaxy visible
  • Outdoor presentation with audience seated on benches, surrounded by trees, and a speaker using a projector screen.
  • People setting up telescopes in a grassy area for stargazing event, surrounded by trees and parked cars.
  • People gathered in a bright, spacious hall with large windows and banners hanging from the ceiling. Some individuals are inspecting telescopes on display.
  • Two people discussing a telescope setup with laptops on a table indoors.

September

Member Photo of the Month

Sun Surface and Prominence

Captured by Mike M.

This image was taken by "lucky imaging", best 200 frames stacked from two 1 min videos of about 1800 frames each - one focused and exposed for the limb and the other focused and exposed for the surface taken immediately after.

It was captured on a ZWO ASI 174MM with ASIAIR in video mode, through a DayStar Quark Chromosphere Ha filter set, at 6562.8 angstroms on a William Optics Zenithstar 73iii doublet refractor with a 0.8 reducer/flattener (WO no longer makes the Z73, but they have similar apertures in other models).

Also attached a UV/IR filter to the telescope end of the Quark. They say for apertures less than 80mm it's not necessary, but it seems to enhance the detail a bit. The mount is an iOptron GEM28. The two images were stacked individually In AutoStakkert, adjusted in ImPPG, and combined into a single image and final contrast and color tweaking in GIMP.

What is member photo of the month?
Every 1st of the month, we will share a new astrophoto that a club member has captured, along with any relevant capture details and website links.

Is it Clear in the Northwest Suburbs?

Many astronomers use Astrospheric to check cloud cover and get weather updates for astronomy. We have Astrospheric embedded in our site. Take a look!

What is the current moon phase?

Upcoming Events and Meetings

All monthly meetings are PUBLIC! Feel free to join and see what we are all about!

Featured
Solar Observing Public Event | Crabtree Nature Center
Sep 13
Solar Observing Public Event | Crabtree Nature Center
Afton Forest Preserve Public Observing
Sep 26
Afton Forest Preserve Public Observing
Afton Forest Preserve Public Observing (Rain Date)
Sep 27
Afton Forest Preserve Public Observing (Rain Date)
NSA October Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Oct 3
NSA October Monthly Club Meeting | Hybrid (in-person and on Zoom)
Coral Woods Public Observing
Oct 10
Coral Woods Public Observing
NSA+at+Wildcat+Night.jpg

Interested in astronomy, stargazing, or taking stunning night sky photos? Join the NSA Astronomy Club! Whether you're a beginner or an experienced skywatcher, our lectures, observation events, and star parties can enhance your knowledge. Members also share tips and gear advice for capturing beautiful cosmic images. Join us to explore the universe—there's something for everyone!

What are you waiting for?

About the Club & History

The Northwest Suburban Astronomers (NSA) club began in 1968 with Jack Kramer and neighbors meeting informally, officially established on June 5, 1971. In 1976, NSA merged with the Northwest Amateur Astronomy Club, growing to over 150 members. The club hosts monthly meetings, star parties, and summer camp-outs, and engages in public outreach. NSA won the 1989 Sky & Telescope Astronomy Day award and participates in the Night Sky Network and The Space Place to support NASA's missions. Membership benefits include newsletters, site access, trips, and discounts, fostering community spirit.