If you’ve ever paid more than passing attention to what goes on in the sky after dark, you may be a candidate for membership in the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association (SFAAA). This nonprofit organization has been around since 1965 and is dedicated to, as its Website puts it, “bringing the universe closer to all South Floridians.” The SFAAA makes its home at Markham Park, where every Saturday night at dusk, it opens the park’s Fox Observatory to the public for free stargazing until midnight.

The SFAAA’s members are there to help you learn about such gear and how it operates. They often even bring along their own ’scopes, so that on a clear night there may be as many as 15 set up in various spots around the observatory.

The group also has its monthly meetings held on Zoom to members at 7:30PM the first Thursday of the month. Regular club dues are $20 but folks can contribute more. One membership fee covers the entire family and includes the SFAAA’s monthly newsletter.