As 2026 draws to a close BPAA is looking ahead and planning programs for next year. In particular, our outreach and engagement with Kitsap Schools has been well-received and we very much would like to expand those opportunities for young students to experience the wonder of exploration beyond our planet. Your support will make these programs possible. Here are a few ways you can help; choose those that work best for you:
This graphic is a recent light curve captured by the BPO telescope showing the light drop off from a hot Jupiter category exoplanet eclipsing its star 650 light years distant. The data demonstrates an incredible precision of +/- 32 seconds for the calculated midpoint of transit! The quality of this data is already in the research category and we’re not done yet. The past three calibration data sets are so good that they have already been accepted by both the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) and the NASA EXOPlanet databases. These databases are used by NASA when refining studies for the James Webb Space Telescope and the recent Pandora satellite program.
As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a planetarium show.
The next meeting of the Battle Point Observatory’s Astrophotography Special Interest Group will be on Saturday, November 21st, at 11 AM in the Gardiner Library inside of the Battle Point Observatory.
Thanks to a grant from the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club, we’ve been able to work with the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District to improve the observatory’s signage. Besides the directional signs that make us easier to find, we now have some new interpretive signs installed on the observatory building. Come by and read about our story!
BPAA Annual Meeting, Saturday January 9, 2027
All BPAA members are invited to attend our annual business meeting, scheduled for Saturday, January 9, 2027 at 6pm.
It takes more than a telescope to open up the universe.
Learn what your gift helps make possible:
https://givebutter.com/makespaceforwonder
Save your seat for an insightful deep dive into Smart Telescopes with special guest speaker & BPAA member, Norris Washington!
Battle Point Observatory rounds out our inspiring three-part fall book club on Women Who Changed the Universe on Tuesday, October 27 over Zoom at 6:00 pm. This final meeting we’ll discuss Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments From My Life by Dr. Mae Jemison.