Battle Point Astronomical Association Information

Battle Point Astronomical Association Information

Over time, we will place sections from the BPAA Manual of Operational Status and Plans online. The current version of the online Manual was revised February 1, 1997. The manual consists of five Sections, two and a half of which are now online.

Section I.A: Purpose and Charter

Section I.B: History and Chronological Development

Section I.C: History of Battle Point Park

Section II.A: Facilities: Physical Plant

Section II.B: Facilities: Operating System and Equipment

Section II.B: Facilities: Operating System and Equipment, part 2

Section III.A: Organization and Administration

The BPAA is a non-profit amateur astronomy organization, located in Bainbridge Island, Washington. We currently mail out about 300 copies of each issue of our newsletter to our members!

Battle Point Astronomical Association Home Page

To join BPAA, print out the application/renewal form, and mail it along with your annual dues. Our mailing address is at the bottom of this page. Also, we continue to have Capital Funding requirements. Your support would be greatly appreciated!

About BPAA

At Battle Point Park is the Helix House: a two story facility operated by the BPAA. The Helix House contains the Edwin E. Ritchie Observatory: a classroom and workshop and offices and a rooftop dome houses our 27.5 inch reflector telescope. Here are the plans for construction.
Our newsletter is published six times a year, and is available on the Web site. Copies are mailed to members on request.
We hold public events at Battle Point Park on Bainbridge Island, and other locations. We offer a monthly guest speaker, a monthly journal club, several star parties each month, basic astronomy class, and astronomy seminar series.
Our volunteer docents give tours of the Observatory on a selected weekend afternoons each month. See the events calendar for dates and times.
BPAA members can use our library of astronomical books and magazines, during regular open hours (currently 2 to 4 pm Saturdays and during other events) or by special arrangement.
BPAA members are able to use our workshop, small telescopes, and computers.
BPAA members get discounts on subscriptions to Sky & Telescope magazine.
We have a members-only email list, for information on schedule changes and astronomical happenings.
All members of BPAA become members of the Astronomical League, which provides numerous benefits including a quarterly magazine as well as Observing Clubs. The Observing Clubs offer encouragement and certificates of accomplishment for demonstrating observing skills with a variety of instruments and objects. These include the Messier Club, Binocular Messier Club, the Herschel 400 Club, the Deep Sky Binocular Club, the Southern Skies Binocular Club, the Meteor Club, the Double Star Club, and the Lunar Club.
Other activities our members are involved in include archaeoastronomy, telescope construction, and educational events for the local community (including Project ASTRO).
Click here to find out how the BPAA has built a center for learning and discovery, and for a look at our history.

BPAA in the News

Mac Gardiner's role in developing the idea and the plans for the amateur space telescope on the International Space Station was recognized by Sky and Telescope, and also in the August 2001 issue of the Astronomical League's Reflector. Mac is the BPAA President and one of our three founders.
BPAA was featured in an article in the September 19, 2000 Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Bainbridge Astronomers are Reaching for the Stars" by Cecilia Goodnow.
Anna Edmonds, our newsletter co-editor, had her article on William and Caroline Herschel published in issue 22 of Amateur Astronomy magazine (summer 1999 issue, page 19). The article first appeared in our club newsletter. In the same issue, her article on Eugene Shoemaker also was reprinted.
The BPAA was featured in an article, "The Eye of the Island", by JoAnn Davis, in the March, 1998 issue of Sky & Telescope, pages 112-116. Full text can be read at findarticles.com.
The Portland Oregonian wrote about BPAA on June 22, 1999, "Telescope Ready to Scan Puget Sound's Night Skies".
BPAA was featured in an article in the Northwest Weekend section of the January 15, 1999 Seattle Times.
BPAA was featured in the Northwest Life section of the Columbian on February 9, 1999, in the article "The Star Chamber: Observatory on Bainbridge Island Hooks up its Visitor to Heavenly Bodies", by Annie Pierce.
BPAA has been covered in several articles in the Bainbridge Review and in the Kitsap County papers.
BPAA was featured in the Everett Herald in May 1999, Pg D-1, "Scoping the Sky" by Andrew Wineke, Photography by Dan Bates.
We were featured in the Oct. 20, 1999 Neighbor section of the Bremerton Sun: "Eye on the Sky", or "They've brought astronomy to the multitudes", by Todd Westbrook.
An article about Astronomy Day and BPAA was published in the Sun in April of 2000.
An article on our Sunday Robot classes appeared on the front page of the Sun in January of 2001!
BPAA was also reportedly featured in the travel sections of the Bellingham and Spokane and other papers. Any details would be appreciated.
John Rudolph, BPAA Facility Director, has presented at Archaeoastronomy conferences such as Oxford5 and Oxford6. He has also been a guest speaker at a number of venues such as the Table Mountain Star Party, Seattle Astronomical Society, Everett Astronomical Society.

We need your help! Volunteers are needed in a number of areas. Find out more on the BPAA News page.

Battle Point Astronomical Association

P.O. Box 10914

Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

Battle Point Astronomical Association

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About BPAA

BPAA in the News