Welcome to the web site of the AELC. We are an amateur astronomy club located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, focused on the science of astronomy. Whether you are just starting out in Astronomy and would like to learn your way around the night sky, or need help choosing a telescope, or if you are a seasoned amateur astronomer and would like to share your observing experiences and skills, the AELC is one of the best resources in the county.

Meetings – Meetings serve to review upcoming astronomical events and in-depth discussion of topics such as the history of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, astrobiology, planetary geology, atmospheric science, manned and robotic space missions, and much more! Meetings are held at the Lititz Public Library and all meetings are open to the public free of charge. The date, time and subject of the next meeting is in the Calendar (Events tab). Click on the blue text to see the primary subject of each meeting. We also reserve the last 30 minutes of our meetings for questions and discussions among the attendees.

Public Star Watches – The AELC supports the free public star watches conducted at Ryan Observatory, located at Muddy Run Park near Holtwood, PA. This is one of the darkest sites in Lancaster County and the facilities are first class. The dates of the public star watches are listed in this link: http://www.ryanobservatory.com/. We hope to see you there!

Club Star Watches - These are focused on the club members and their famlies and include learning the sky, equipment training and observation skills, to name a few. The location is the Willow Point parking lot in the Middle Creek WMA in the north end of Lancaster County. Club members are notified via email when these occur, based on the weather. This is also one of the darkest sites in Lancaster County and it can be used for individual observing, not just club events.

Join - You are invited to join our club by sending us a message (via the Contact Club tab above) requesting the membership application form. When you receive the form, just fill it out and mail it with your dues as instructed on the form or bring it to one of our meetings along with your dues in cash or check.

Useful Links - To Navigate the Night Sky: install the free application named “Sky Map” on your smartphone. For Astronomy Weather: Clear Sky Chart; Clear Outside; Water Vapor Satellite Weather Map. Where to observe: Willow Point; Cherry Springs State Park. What’s Happening in the Sky: Sky and Telescope; SpaceWeather.com; Space.com;  Astronomy News -- ScienceDaily and, of course, NASA's Night Sky Network. Another fine resource is the monthly club newsletter, emailed to all club members at the beginning of every month. ALSO, the Lititz Library has two telescopes (donated by our club) that you can check out and use.

Facebook - We use our Facebook page to remind followers, members and public, of upcoming astronomical events visible from Lancaster County. Our club is also a member of the International Dark Sky Association and the Astronomical League