KERN COUNTY
ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
REACH FOR THE STARS
About Us
The Kern County Astronomical Society (KCAS) was founded in 1956 with a charter to “foster interest in astronomy among members, amateur astronomers, and the general public”. We are a club of amateur astronomers that includes individuals and families. Anyone interested in astronomy is welcome. The Kern County Astronomical Society (KCAS) invites you to discover the “Wonders of the Universe.”
Why We Are Here
KCAS intends to “bring the joys of astronomy” to the general public. We attend schools, scout groups, and various other community events with telescopes and a lot of enthusiasm. We enjoy showing people everything from the rings of Saturn to Jupiter’s moons, to the craters of the Moon, and more. See the star party coordinator below for more information.
Membership
To learn more about the club, come to a KAS meeting! Our meetings are free, open to the public, and family-friendly. We meet on the first Friday of the month at 6:00 PM for dinner followed by the business meeting and program at 7:00 PM at the Round Table Pizza at 4200 Gosford Rd in Bakersfield.
Annual membership is $25 and our memberships are "family" memberships. Members of KAS also get membership in the Astronomical League. New members get their first crack at borrowing one of the club telescopes for a month!
To download the registration form please click on the link below:
KCAS Membership Form 2025
Annual membership is $25 and our memberships are "family" memberships. Members of KAS also get membership in the Astronomical League. New members get their first crack at borrowing one of the club telescopes for a month!
To download the registration form please click on the link below:
KCAS Membership Form 2025
Events
Upcoming Events
| Title | Date | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyrid Meteor Shower | 23 Apr 2025 | Wednesday | Frazier Mountain Trailhead |
| Annual Club Picnic | 03 May 2025 | Saturday | Jastro Park, 2900 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
Past Events
| Title | Date | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Party | 29 Mar 2025 | Saturday | Frazier Mountain Trailhead |
| Windwolves nature days. | 29 Mar 2025 | Saturday | 16019 Maricopa Highway, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Science Night | 27 Mar 2025 | Thursday | Lincoln Junior High School, 815 Eureka Street, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Total Lunar Eclipse | 13 Mar 2025 | Thursday | |
| Star Party (Cancelled due to weather) | 01 Mar 2025 | Saturday | Frazier Mountain Trailhead |
| BC Planetarium | 27 Feb 2025 | Thursday | Bakersfield College |
| Leon Olivier Middle School Cancelled | 11 Feb 2025 | Tuesday | 7310 Monitor Street, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| January '25 Star Party | 28 Jan 2025 | Tuesday | Frazier Mountain Trail Head |
| Potluck, no speaker | 06 Dec 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Rod Guice - Milankovitch Cycles | 01 Nov 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Linda Spilker - Voyager | 04 Oct 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Observe the Moon Night | 14 Sep 2024 | Saturday | 11298 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Seestar Telescopes demonstration, KAS Elections | 13 Sep 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Dark Sky Festival | 06 Sep 2024 | Friday | Lodgepole-Sherman Tree, California, USA |
| Bonnie Buretti - JPL Europa Clipper | 02 Aug 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| July no meeting | 05 Jul 2024 | Friday | |
| Linda Spilker – Voyager Mission | 07 Jun 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| June no meeting | 07 Jun 2024 | Friday | |
| KAS Picnic | 18 May 2024 | Saturday | 400 Montclair St, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Omer Blaes – Gravitation Waving | 03 May 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Share your eclipse experience | 12 Apr 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard |
| Solar Eclipse Photography – Darren Bly | 01 Mar 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Meteorites – Rod Guice | 02 Feb 2024 | Friday | 7700 District Boulevard, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
| Astrophotography – John Hester | 05 Jan 2024 | Friday | 4200 Gosford Road, Bakersfield, CA, USA |
Star Parties
Star Parties
We have two club star parties every month on the Saturday evenings of the third quarter Moon and new Moon (weather permitting). All Star Parties are open to the public, but please observe nighttime headlight etiquette, drive with parking lights only. Star Parties will be published under Events, under Meetings
Learn More
Club Officers
Click here for current officer's contact information. New officers are elected every September.
Learn More"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."
Vincent Van Gogh
Contact
- General Meeting Site (first Friday each month): Roundtable Pizza, 4299 Gosford Rd.,
- Bakersfield, CA 93389
newsletter
We publish a periodic newsletter of club activities and upcoming astronomy events called the SYZYGY. Copies of the newsletter are posted on the web as PDF documents.
March 2025 NewsletterFebruary 2025 Newsletter
January 2025 Newsletter
December 2024 Newsletter
November 2024 KCAS Newsletter
September 2024 KCAS Newsletter
August 2024 KCAS Newsletter
July 2024 KCAS Newsletter
June 2024 KCAS Newsletter
May 2024 KCAS Newsletter
April 2024 KCAS Newsletter
KAS Logo Merchandise
We now have available KAS logo merchandise for sale.
