Join or Renew your FPOA Membership

FPOA needs your help to continue our educational programs.

The Fremont Peak Observatory Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that operates the Observatory under contract with with the California Department of Parks and Recreation.  The main objective of the FPOA is to promote astronomy through public educational and interpretive programs at Fremont Peak State Park. A secondary objective is to provide an excellent observation site to amateur astronomers.

Using the Challenger telescope during a public program

Your financial support for these objectives are highly valued. Even more important is your active involvement in the various activities of the FPOA. These activities include participating in the public programs, helping to improve and maintain the observatory instruments, offering helpful suggestions to improve the FPOA's outreach, and contributing your ideas to the FPOA Board.

The FPOA Site for Private Observing

The secondary objective of the FPOA is to allow amateur astronomers to use an access-controlled dark site with excellent horizons, seeing, electricity, and rest rooms. The FPOA Site offers many advantages for individuals who want to use their own equipment. These are more fully explained here.

Telescopes on the observing pads

Member Benefits

As an FPOA Member, you have the satisfaction of supporting a unique volunteer scientific organization bringing astronomy education to the public.

  • Supporting our continuing ability to provide public programs.
  • You can contribute directly by volunteering in scheduled public programs (once you have filed a current Member Contract and Liability Waivers), by setting up your telescope in the excellent observing area just outside the observatory, or giving interpretive presentations to the public.
  • All members receive the quarterly newsletter, the Fremont Peak Observer, electronically.
  • The FPOA conducts an annual meeting in the late summer featuring a guest speaker and BBQ.

As an Observer Member, you are also eligible to:

  • Bring your own telescope to the FPOA area (a closed, gated part of the park) on your own schedule. Additional information about observing at the site is available here.
  • Receive training in use of the 30-inch Challenger Telescope. Once trained, you may volunteer to use the Challenger during public programs.
  • Schedule access to the Challenger telescope on non-public program nights, once you have met training and annual service prerequisites.

As a Life Member,

  • Not get an annual reminder
  • You will be helping us build our reserves for the next time we have to make a major expense like the 2017-2020 renovation. It also allows us to make capital purchases that we would otherwise be reluctant to make.
  • Life Members are granted Observer privileges

About Observer Membership:

  • Memberships at the Observer level include certain access and observing privileges. By joining or renewing as an Observer, you agree to the with the terms of the FPOA Reservation Procedure and site usage rules.
  • If you are joining as an Observer for the first time, please fill out the Member Contract and Liability Waivers.
    You can send them to us by e-mail or postal mail to our membership chair or PO Box. (Please allow 8 weeks for processing applications mailed to the PO Box.)
  • If you already have a Life FPOA membership, you can add Observer privileges by purchasing an observer supplement. To add Observer privileges to an regular membership, please contact the membership chair. Life Members, use the PayPal tab below.

Joining or Renewing Online

  • Use the PayPal service on this page to join or renew; see the options below. You can use any major credit card or a PayPal account.
  • If you are renewing, please make sure your PayPal information reflects how you want to be contacted. If you move during the year please let the membership chair know or you will miss Observer and renewal notices.
  • If you are joining as Observer Member you will need to also submit the Member Contract and Liability Waivers as described above before you will be allowed Observer privileges.
  • Please keep in mind the folks processing this are all volunteers. While we process applications as quickly as we can, please do not join Monday morning expecting to observe Wednesday night.

Joining or Renewing by Mail:

FPOA Membership Privacy Statement:

  • Your membership information is private and will only be used for FPOA operations. Your membership information will not be shared with outside parties unless required by law. As of December 2025, FPOA has never been required to share membership information with outside parties.
  • PayPal does not share your credit card information with FPOA. You do not need to have a PayPal account to pay via a credit card on PayPal.

Join or Renew Online

FPOA Membership

Member Observer
Individual $30 $60
Family $50 $80
Student (w/ ID) $15 $30
Life (One-time) $450 —
Life (Age 60+) $400 —

Memberships, other than Life, are for 12 months. The Association is a
501(c)(3) charity. Memberships are deductible to the full extent of the law.

Optional comment:

NOTE: If you are signing up for an Observer Membership for the first time please read About Observer Membership. We will be unable to complete your Observer Membership until we receive your Liability Waiver

Additional Support

Please consider taking this opportunity to provide further help to FPOA.

Additional Donation amount:

 
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