History of the Omaha Astronomical Society
The Omaha Astronomical Society (OAS) traces its roots back to the Great Plains Astronomy Club (GPAC). Started in 1938, GPAC covered the Omaha-Lincoln area. GPAC was formed to promote better contact and communication between amateur and professional astronomers in the Midwest, and its purpose was to further interest in the science of astronomy.
Sometime in the early 1950s, GPAC became the Great Plains Astronomical Society (GPAS). According to the GPAS Yearbook (1955–1956), regional meetings were to be quadrennial, held in one of the three centers: Omaha, Nebraska; Topeka, Kansas; and Des Moines, Iowa. The meetings were to be held in rotation.
On May 20, 1956, during a meeting held in Omaha, a public star party took place on the campus of what was then the University of Omaha. An estimated 500 people attended the event.
In the mid-to-late 1950s, GPAS boasted almost 75 members, many prominent people from the Omaha/Lincoln area. There were doctors, lawyers, geologists, vice presidents of local businesses, and professors from UNL and UNO. At this time, GPAS really came into its own.
In the early 1960s, the departure of highly active members led to a decrease in interest in GPAS. The members of the Omaha division, however, continued their activities and interests by having their own organization, often referred to as the Omaha Astronomy Club.
At an organizational meeting in early 1962, the 15 members present that night formed the Omaha Astronomical Society (OAS). Evelyn Hines was elected president, and on May 14, 1962, the Articles of Incorporation were filed with the State of Nebraska. The OAS was officially designated as a nonprofit organization.
Through a self-help effort, the OAS designed and constructed a 20 ft. x 20 ft. observatory on land leased from the American Legion in Gretna, Nebraska. Featuring a roll-off roof and an abundance of dark skies, the observatory housed a 10-inch, f/10 reflector, which was donated to OAS by one of its earlier members. The other instrument was a 12-inch, f/9 reflector donated to the society by Mr. David M. Solzman.
The observatory in Gretna was torn down when the Legion sold the property to another group, and they had plans to use the grounds for other purposes.
A decline in membership occurred in the mid-1970s. During this time, George Allen became president and purchased the property in Weeping Water, Nebraska.
In April of 1984, the club hosted The Mead-Behlen Stellar Blowout and Telescope Roast. This event drew upwards of 70 from surrounding states. For the registration price of $2 ($2.50 for a family) and $3 for dinner, who wouldn’t go?
In 1986, in anticipation of the return of Halley’s Comet, the club participated in numerous outreach events in response to public interest in the event. Several outings were held at the Q-Twin Drive-In theaters, with attendees numbering in the hundreds.
In 1988, the Omaha Astronomical Society hosted the annual Astronomical League convention at Iowa Western Community College. The keynote speaker was John Dobson, creator of the Dobsonian mount for Newtonian reflecting telescopes.
In the 1990s, the club's membership dropped to several dozen. Meetings were held in the Durham Science Center on the campus of UNO. In the late 1990s, club members endeavored to rebuild the 13” telescope into its current truss tube configuration. Late in the 1990s, the membership continued to grow, with celestial sights such as Comet Hale-Bopp contributing to public interest in astronomy.
In the mid-2000s, the club was asked by the Papillion-La Vista schools to bring outreach to their outdoor education studies. This outreach continues to this day, with club members bringing astronomy to all 19 sixth-grade classes every fall. This brings the stars to upwards of 1,000 children, chaperones, adults, and teachers. In 2007, the Astronomical League initiated its Outreach Program to recognize the efforts of AL members.
In 2013, the club hosted the Mid-States Regional Conference at the Lodge at Mahoney State Park. This marked a return to a three-day event featuring numerous club members presenting on a wide variety of topics. The Friday night Star-B-Q was held in the Strategic Air Museum, under the wings of restored fighters and bombers. This conference became the stuff of legend, with many asking when OAS would host another event as great as this.
In 2017, we were treated to the event of a lifetime: the Great American Total Solar Eclipse. The club participated in numerous outreach events to inform the public of the event and sold thousands of safe eclipse viewing glasses. There were no club-sponsored events on the day of the big show, however, as members scattered around the area to view the event on their own.
As can be seen, the club has been through many growth cycles and presently has over 200 members. We continue to strive for the education of our youth in astronomy and enjoyment of the heavens by all those who gaze into the sky and are amazed at what they see.