Held prior to regularly-scheduled meetings on the first Friday of every month but July, our Telescope Clinics can teach you how to use your telescope, or possibly explain a confusing aspect of it to you. Our experienced volunteers can also help you with things like aligning a finder scope, aligning the telescope optics, and the operation of your mount.

How to participate:

Please send an email to president@nsaac,org and include as much information as possible about the issues you are having with your telescope.

Once we receive your information we'll send you an email with the schedule information for the next scope clinic.

Once scheduled, Clinics are held at 7:00 pm, prior to the start of our monthly business meetings on the first Friday of each month (except July). Directions to our meeting location in the Boxford Community Center are in a google map on our Contact Us page. Park and enter in the back.

In addition to our work with the Observatories at Merrimack College and Salem State University, the club conducts star parties at the request of schools and other public organizations such as libraries and museums.

These events can consist of a slide presentation, lecture and/or observing session. We strive to tailor each presentation to the particular needs of the requesting party. The club can conduct events in most towns on the North Shore, and sometimes beyond.

For events at schools we suggest an age range of at least grade 4 through high school; younger children sometimes have a difficult time looking through the telescopes.

Many of our members consider Star Parties to be the most enjoyable aspect of being part of the NSAAC. The NSAAC does not impose a charge for these programs, although tax deductible donations are gratefully accepted. For more information please see the Contact Us page for the Star Party coordinator.