Saturday, September 19, 2026
Memorial Garden Dedication
&
Annual ATMoB Picnic
ATMoB Clubhouse, Westford, MA
Dedication of Memorial Garden 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
ATMoB will be celebrating its 1,000th meeting on October 8th. Many club members have devoted years of their life to ATMoB, running the club, participating in observing and club events, sharing their knowledge with other members, and sadly, passing on. Their club friends remember them fondly. We will be dedicating the Memorial Garden to those members who are no longer with us. It will also give us a serene place for reflection as well as a focal point for future Celebration of Life gatherings.
Clubhouse Director Steve Clougherty will lead the Dedication, and will invite members to share happy memories about a club member whom they remember dearly. Steve will begin the dedication by introducing ATMoB member and landscape architect Brian Leacu, who designed and created our new Memorial Garden. The Dedication will start promptly at 2:00 PM.
Annual Club Picnic 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Saturday, September 19th is the date of the Annual ATMoB Potluck Picnic at the Clubhouse in Westford. Enjoy a day with good food and lots of astronomy talk with other ATMoB members.
PLEASE BRING SOMETHING TASTY TO SHARE, such as a favorite entree, appetizer, salad, veggies, homemade bread or pastry, fresh fruit or dessert.
We will provide beef hamburgers, beef hot dogs, veggie burgers, beverages, paper goods and plastic utensils.
This is a kid-friendly event, so bring the kids and grandchildren.
All club members and their families are invited. We encourage families to attend.
Bring your spouse/partner, or a friend who might be interested in joining ATMoB.
WHAT ELSE TO BRING
- Lawn chairs
- Suntan lotion and mosquito repellent
- Warm observing clothing. It does get chilly in the evening.
- Solar scope for solar viewing
- Telescope and/or binoculars for evening observing
THINGS TO DO AT THE PICNIC
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Solar viewing with white light and hydrogen-alpha telescopes. See Venus during the day.
3:00 PM - 5:30 PM: Kids activities: Make your own sundial, constellation viewers, origami rockets, and more. Play with astronomy puzzles and games.
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Fun With Optics – Unusual optics will be available to look at and look through.
3:45 PM - 7:00 PM: Tour the Clubhouse and the club's observatories.
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM: Mirror Making Demonstration - Learn how you too can grind and polish your own mirror. ATMoB members won awards at this year’s Stellafane competition.
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM: Join the group walk-up-the-hill to visit the MIT radome, stopping along the way to look at the radio telescopes. Those with walking limitations will be allowed to drive up the road.
Dusk to 11:00 PM: Observe with your telescope or join those observing with the club’s 25-inch Star Splitter telescope.
VOLUNTEER HELP
Many hands make fast work. Can you give us an hour or two to help make this day a success?
WEEKEND BEFORE THE PICNIC: Help is needed to set up the large tent. Please volunteer for Sunday, September 13th, starting at 10:00 AM. Bending and lifting is required. Most of the lifting is light, but may be up to 20 pounds. Bending will be needed to install and tighten screws. Contact Maria Batista mabatiste@hotmail.com 617-347-3730 text only.
DAY OF THE PICNIC, Saturday, September 19th:
EARLY: We need a few volunteers to set up tents, tables & chairs, and activities on Picnic morning, Saturday, September 19th starting at 10:00 AM.
DURING: We need volunteers to help arriving members sign in, place their food in the outdoor tent or on the tables inside the Clubhouse, and keep food tables tidy; also to help with kids’ activities.
AFTER: We need a few volunteers to help with the taking down of some tents before dusk, and with the clean up after the picnic to get ready for evening observing.
NEXT DAY: Sunday, September 20th: Depending on the weather we need volunteers to take down the large tent either Saturday evening September 19th, or Sunday, September 20th 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM.
If you can help, please volunteer on the website. You can reach the volunteer page by logging into the website and visiting https://atmob.org/volunteer or going to the Event Calendar, clicking on the Picnic Event on September 19, and clicking on the blue Volunteer button on the right. Once you see the Club Picnic Volunteer page, you can volunteer by clicking on the green Volunteer button on the right, select the activities by clicking on the Register box, and finally clicking the “I’m done adding Volunteers” button. You can see how many volunteers are registered on the Volunteer page by clicking the 3 vertical dot button on the right.
You can also contact Eileen Myers at starleen@charter.net 978-501-6342.
NIGHT SKY OBSERVING
Bring the kids and grandkids to see planets and stars in your telescope, in a member’s telescope, or in an ATMoB telescope.
The club's 25-inch Dobsonian telescope will be open for group observing, led by Rich Nugent. See craters on the 1st quarter Moon. See Saturn and its rings. See a geostationary satellite. See deep sky objects.
Last minute attendees are always welcome.
Come for a few hours or stay and observe until the wee hours.
Clear skies,
Eileen Myers