What can I expect if I go to a meeting of an Astronomy Club?
I know absolutely nothing about astronomy other that it has always interested me. My grandpa left me his telescope when he died about 10 years ago. It was new then but I haven’t the slightest idea how to use it or put it together.
I’m a 38 y/o female. Do many women go to these meetings? It would be nice to make a friend or two. What are the age ranges?
The meeting is in Nanaimo, BC which is an hour away from me.
I have never been to an astronomy club meeting, but I’ve been hanging out at the Bad Astronomy boards almost as long as I’ve been on the Dope, and the skinny that I’ve always heard from them is that astronomy geeks at Star Parties are almost pathetically eager to show off their kewl stuf to n00bs, guests, their moms, and really just about anyone they can get to sit still. The demographic seems to be pretty much the same as the population in general, so I shouldn’t think you’d stick out.
As for making new friends, yup, I think that’ll happen, but I wouldn’t guarantee that you’ll find another thirty-something female to bond with. Much more likely that your astronomy soulmate will turn out to be somebody’s Grandpa, or teenage daughter.
Go with an open mind, take binoculars, one of those Golden Guides To Constellations, and a flashlight with red cellophane taped over the end (this is to preserve your night vision while you consult your book). Even if it’s an indoor meeting and not a Star Party, the mere fact that you showed up ready to Look At Some Stars will endear you immediately to the group, and they’ll be falling all over themselves to take you out in the parking lot and set up their thousand-dollar telescopes to show you what you can see Up There even with abundant light pollution.
ETA: Start out with binoculars; leave the telescope at home for now. Binoculars are intuitive, everybody knows how to use them, so you can spend the evening actually looking at stars instead of fiddling around with a mysterious gadget, and it’ll give the Astronomy Geeks much more pleasure to show you how to put your telescope together and use it after you’ve proved your bonafides by showing up with binocs. They see lots of people who show up with a brand-new K-mart telescope, all ready to Look At Some Stars, and then they never come back again.
I got a telescope a few years ago. Unfortunately Life intervened and I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. Like you, I know nothing about Astronomy. I can identify the Dippers and Orion, and I can point out Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel, Salph, Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. Oh, and the Pleiades. And that’s it. 
As you know, weather up here is problematic. In the Winter it’s freakin’ cold to be standing outside, and in the Summer the sun sets late. And then there are the clouds.
Once things settle down a bit I’ll have to see if there’s an astronomy club in Bellingham. My little binoculars should do for a start.
You might consider downloading a planetarium program onto your notebook, if you have one. I recommend ‘Stellarium’ as one that’s very good and easy to follow and, best of all, free.
It’s up to version 9.1 and can be found at this Link.
The manual is comprehensive and easy to follow. You might also need to download a list of stars with their Hipparcus reference numbers.
Duck Duck Goose thank you so much, that really helps a lot and has made me feel way better about going! That’s just the kind of information I was looking for.
Johnny L.A. We must get the telescopes figured out! Wouldn’t you love to be able to set it up and look up some specific constellation like a pro?
Aquila Be I haven’t a notebook, but that link is interesting - thanks!
It’s hard to predict, but if they’re serving those yummy Nanaimo Bars at the meeting you can’t go wrong!
There’s no telling what the age range or areas of interest will be, or whether they’ll be receptive to a new gal with a telescope that needs to be set up and collimated, but I’d guess the odds are good that you’ll be in very kind and informative hands.
Driving for an hour to find out is certainly a bit daunting, but you might consider that’s probably the cheapest and fastest way to get your telescope up and operating. Once you learn the basics you’ll be fine on your own if you decide not to make the trip regularly. I say go for it!
Duck’s advice is excellent! I’d also caution you, the first time you go to a star party, is not only to have a flashlight with a red cover, but to turn off your car lights (and the inside open-door light) before you get very close.
You will find these people all very friendly and helpful, but they tend to lose their cool when somebody ruins their night-vision by turning on any white light.