moon phases


seven men with varied talents and unyielding resolve formed the New Jersey Astronomical Association - a not for profit corporation dedicated to bringing astronomy to the general public. They devised and executed a plan to build an observatory, bringing the wonders of space to the people.
    Today The Paul H. Robinson Observatory - which houses the largest telescope in New Jersey open to the public - is located in Voorhees State Park - stands as a monument to this effort. Our membership consists of people from all walks of life who share a love of astronomy.

Are you interested in astronomy for yourself or family? Stop by the Paul Robinson Observatory on any public evening and see what one of our qualified observers can show you. Click here for hours of operation.
If you've been around the observatory over the last couple of months it’s likely you've seen some stage of the NJAA all-sky camera project. Perhaps rotating night sky images on the monitor of the computer up front, or maybe even displayed on the projector screen. You would recognize them as fish-eye views showing streaks scratched across the night sky. These images are the result of an automated camera positioned outside the observatory. It is computer controlled to recognize the momentary presence of a meteor. The team has been working at hammering out some issues, like making the software smarter to distinguish meteors from airplanes. But great progress has been made on that front and there are big objectives down the road.

5/9 - Saturn Does the Wave In Upper Atmosphere
Two decades of scrutinizing Saturn are finally paying off, as scientists have discovered a wave pattern, or oscillation, in Saturn's atmosphere only visible from Earth every 15 years. full story
5/8 - Billion-pulse-per-second laser to elevate extrasolar planet hunting
Scientists at the University of Konstanz and the NIST have demonstrated an ultrafast laser that offers a record combination of high speed, short pulses and high average power. full story
5/7 - How a Type-Ia Supernova Works: The Movie
Picture an exploding star. You probably picture a round ball going boom in a round way. But real supernovae apparently aren't like that at all. full story
5/6 - Jupiter's Rings Made in the Shade
Jupiter has a thin set of nearly imperceptible rings with features that have long puzzled scientists. full story
5/5 - Space Diver Ready to Jump Into History
It is billed as a small jump for a man...a big jump for humanity: The Le Grand Saut. full story
5/4 - Could Jupiter Wreck the Solar System?
Scientists have expressed their concern that the Solar System may not be as stable as it seems. full story
5/3 - Podcast: IT Came From Vesta
This new JPL podcast tells the tale of some Earthbound visitors from the asteroid belt. Did they come from the solar system's second largest asteroid - Vesta - and if so, why? Listen now

The NJAA operates on leased premises administered by The State of New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry