Dawn at ORAS' former observatory site. Photo courtesy of Phil Harrington.
About ORAS
History of the Oil Region Astronomical Society
In March of 1991, a small group of people with a passion for looking to the stars came up with an idea to unite those people in northwest Pennsylvania and beyond with a common interest in astronomy. Those efforts led to the formation of the Venango County Astronomy Club, the predecessor of the Oil Region Astronomical Society. We are a group of men, women and youths who share their equipment and knowledge of the stars in an effort to promote the fundamentals of astronomy and space science.
Within a short time, the group obtained a lease from Venango County for a parcel of land within Two Mile Run County Park and set about building an observatory.
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In 1993, the Oil Region Astronomical Observatory opened to the public, and remained home to ORAS until January 2015, when our lease with the County of Venango was terminated.
In 2014 ORAS took ownership of the land upon which the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center, home of the Bruce M. Bedow Memorial Observatory, would be constructed. In the four years that followed, ORAS, in collaboration with numerous community members and local businesses, prepared the site and constructed a multi-purpose activity building and the observatory. On the night of September 21, 2017, the new 30-inch telescope saw First Light, beginning a new era for ORAS. Since First Light, we have continued to make improvements and additions to the site and facilities to improve the experience for ORAS members and visitors alike.
The group continues to work together, turning their eyes to the sky to ponder and discuss the universe in which we live.
Well over 100 businesses and individuals throughout the community, through donations of time, labor, materials, equipment, and funding, contributed to the construction of our original observatory in Two Mile Run County Park. We thank all of our contributors for your tremendous support in making the original observatory a reality. Likewise, we are grateful for the many donors who helped us develop the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center (ORALC), our new facility. We very much appreciate your support!
Major financial contributors over the years include the Samuel Justus Charitable Trust, Edith C. Justus Charitable Trust, John Nesbit Rees and Sarah Henne Rees Charitable Foundation, the Mellon Trust, and the Dr. and Mrs. Arthur William Phillips Charitable Trust. Please see our Observatory Project page for a list of the contributors to the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center.
Well over 100 businesses and individuals throughout the community, through donations of time, labor, materials, equipment, and funding, contributed to the construction of our original observatory in Two Mile Run County Park. We thank all of our contributors for your tremendous support in making the original observatory a reality. Likewise, we are grateful for the many donors who helped us develop the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center (ORALC), our new facility. We very much appreciate your support!
Major financial contributors over the years include the Samuel Justus Charitable Trust, Edith C. Justus Charitable Trust, John Nesbit Rees and Sarah Henne Rees Charitable Foundation, the Mellon Trust, and the Dr. and Mrs. Arthur William Phillips Charitable Trust. Please see our Observatory Project page for a list of the contributors to the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center.
ORAS Board
ORAS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a governing Board elected by the ORAS members.
President: Dean Miskovich, [email protected]
Vice-president: Tim Spuck, [email protected]
Treasurer: Stacy Rocco, [email protected]
Secretary: Marianne Hooker, [email protected]
Board Members at Large:
Steve Behringer, [email protected]
Ed Kuzemchak, [email protected]
Laura Ordaz, [email protected]
Susan Prezzano, [email protected]
Gary Salisbury, [email protected]
Education & Public Outreach Committee Chairperson
Barb Rumore, [email protected]
Observatory-Facilities Committee Chairperson
(TBD)
Fund Development Committee Chairperson
Laura Ordaz, [email protected]
ORAS Brochure |
ORAS Contact Information |
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ORAS has developed a tri-fold brochure describing our group. Please feel free to print it out and give it to a friend. It may require some maneuvering to get it to print it on the front and back of a single 8 1/2 by 11" page.
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The ORAS mailing address is: Oil Region Astronomical Society P.O. Box 1535 Oil City, PA 16301 Our e-mail address is: [email protected] Contact us! For more information or questions, please e-mail us at [email protected] or use the contact form below. |
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