Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

Autism Fair
2018-04-28 07:30 - 12:30 (America/Phoenix) | Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E Ajo Way, Tucson, AZ, 85713, United States
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have some Solar Telescopes to safely view our star The Sun. We will look for Prominences, Flares, Sunspots, and other activities happening on the Sun. The Fair will be set up on the concourse of the Kino Sports Complex. There will be lots of activities and booths supporting Autism and Science.

Intermountain Center @ Flandrau Science Center
2018-05-03 19:30 - 21:30 | Flandrau Science Center, 1601 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Star Party supporting the Intermountain Center @ Flandrau Science Center. The event will feature a talk by Dante Lauretta, Professor of Planetary Science and Cosmochemistry at the U of A. The event will go from 5:30 – 8:30 pm with the star party on the UA Mall south of Flandrau from 7:30 – 9:30. For more information, see the Intermountain Center website: http://intermountaincenters.org/.

General Meeting – May 2018
2018-05-04 18:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Introductory Presentation
Title: Seasonal Night Sky Objects
Presenter: Mary Turner

Mary Turner, TAAA’s appointed Chief Observer, takes us on a tour of the spring night sky. As usual in her popular talks, Mary’s use of astronomical data, images, and mythology brings the seasonal changes in the sky to life.,
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Gravitational Waves and Things that Go Boom in the Night or The Start Of The Age of Multi-Messenger Astronomy
Presenter: Dr. David Sand. Dr. Sand received his undergraduate degree in Physics from UCLA and his PhD in Physics from Caltech. He is now an Assistant Professor in Astronomy at the University of Arizona, and an observational astrophysicist with many interests. He is particularly interested in time domain astronomy (how astronomical objects change in time), especially in the progenitors of supernova. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors with his wife Debbie and daughter Delilah .

In his presentation, Dr. Sand talks about the ‘time domain’ revolution in astronomy, and how we are finding new ways to study stars that merge, burp and explode by looking at their imprints on space-time via gravitational waves. He will highlight recent results on the gravitational wave detection of the merger of two neutron stars, and look to the future of this field. Dr. Sand’s interest in things that go bump in the night led to his team’s search for electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational waves.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – May 2018
2018-05-10 18:30 - 20:30 | U.S.G.S. Building, 520 North Park Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Come join us for a presentation from the fundamentals of amateur astronomy. Bill Clarke will be discussing Home-made AltAz mounts and Gus Gomez will be showing us the constellation Corvus.

Agua Caliente Park Star Party
2018-05-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Star Party-Agua Caliente Park
Tucson, AZ (Northeast)
Setup: 7 PM
Observing: 7:30 – 9:30 PM
Viewing Location: Bus Lanes @ North end of Parking Lot
Information: Great dark skies in Northeast Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

General Meeting – June 2018
2018-06-01 18:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Introductory Presentation
Title: Variable Stars, the AAVSO and the Astronomical League
Speaker: Douglas Smith

Douglas Smith will present a history of Variable Star observing and discoveries, the importance of this work. A description of what a variable star is and the process that causes the variability. He will discuss the AAVSO and their purpose and look at their website. He will also discuss the Astronomical League’s three observing programs for variable stars.
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Train Wrecks Across Time: A History of Galaxy Mergers
Speaker: Barry Rothberg, Ph.D., Large Binocular
Telescope Observatory

The collision and merging of galaxies is one of the most violent events in the Universe. Galaxy mergers are far from rare, and are responsible for reshaping and creating galaxies, forming millions of new stars, enriching and forging new elements, and birthing and fueling the most powerful and destructive engines in the known Universe. But galaxy mergers have not only reshaped the Universe over the last 13 billion years, but have served as a means of reshaping humanity’s understanding of astronomy and physics. In this presentation, we will start on a journey beginning several centuries earlier, and see how galactic train wrecks have helped further the development of astronomical optics, altered and remade our basic understanding of physics, and inspired astronomers to see how the Universe is both vast and ever expanding. We will also see how galaxy mergers will impact our own future. Our Milky Way galaxy and one of our galactic neighbors, the Andromeda galaxy, are hurtling towards each other, destined to collide and eventually merge. Our understanding how galaxy mergers occur and their outcome will serve as a means of seeing our own inevitable future.

Grand Canyon Star Party
2018-06-09 - 2018-06-16 | Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023, United States

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – June 2018
2018-06-14 18:30 - 20:30 | U.S.G.S. Building, 520 North Park Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Main Presentation:
Jupiter and it’s Moons
Presenter: Stephen Ferris

Stephen Ferris will discuss Jupiter and it’s Moons for our main presentation.
Constellation of the Month:
Crux
Presenter: Doug Smith

Doug Smith will start the evening off with a talk on the southern constellation Crux.
About the Astronomy Fundamentals SIG
The Astronomy Fundamentals Special Interest Group, is for all TAAA members, both new and old, who want to learn about and share the multiple aspects of the hobby.
Meeting Location
The USGS Building is on the northeast corner of Park and 6th Street. Free parking is available nearby after 5pm.
Contact Connor Justice at fundamentals[at]tucsonastronomy.org

Elfriday Library
2018-06-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Elfrida Library, 10552 N Hwy 191, Elfrida, AZ, 85610, United States
Star Party-Elfrida Library
ELFRIDA, AZ
Viewing Location: Outside the Library
Estimated # Participants: 25
Come join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for some evening viewing of some exciting astronomy wonders. We will have telescopes setup outside the Library to view some planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, and lots more.

Vail Stargazing Celebration
2018-07-01 20:00 - 21:30 | Vail Lutheran Church, 14600 E Colossal Cave Rd, Vail, AZ, 85641, United States
This will be a star gazing event that will be part of A Colossal Fourth. A Colossal Fourth is the name for a series of events taking place over the week of July 4th.
Observing: 8 – 9:30 pm
Viewing Location: Vail Lutheran Church, south of the buildings

General Meeting – July 2018
2018-07-06 18:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
Topics to be determined.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – July 2018
2018-07-12 18:30 - 20:30 | U.S.G.S. Building, 520 North Park Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Come join us for a presentation from the fundamentals of amateur astronomy. Connor Justice will be discussing the constellation Virgo, followed by Doug Smith who will talk about the History of Astrophotography for our main presentation.

Elfriday Library (Solar)
2018-07-13 10:30 - 12:00 | Elfrida Library, 10552 N Hwy 191, Elfrida, AZ, 85610, United States
Star Party-Elfrida Library
ELFRIDA, AZ (Near CAC)
Viewing Location: Outside the Library
Come join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for some safe daytime viewing of our closest star the Sun. We will have a solar telescope setup outside the Elfrida Library. We will look for Solar Prominences & Flares, Sunspots, and other activity on the Sun.

Desert Museum Cool Summer Nights (Astronomy)
2018-07-14 19:00 - 22:00 | Desert Museum, 2021 N Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85743, United States
Join TAAA and the Sonoran Desert Museum for the Cool Summer Nights Astronomy Event. TAAA will have several telescopes set up around the Museum to view some amazing solar system and deep-sky objects. Museum entrance fee required.

General Meeting – August 2018
2018-08-03 18:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Introductory Presentation
Title: Member’s Night
Speaker: various TAAA members

Reports by several TAAA members on a variety of topics.
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: The night sky of planet Vulcan: Exozodiacal light observations with the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT)
Speaker: Dr. Steve Ertel is a German astronomer now working at Steward Observatory. He studies planetary systems through observations of their dust similar to that in our Solar System’s Kuiper Belt, Asteroid Belt, and zodiacal dust. He also studies the fate of planetary systems as their host stars evolve into giant stars and white dwarfs. Steve received his Ph.D. from the University of Kiel, Germany. He has worked as an observational astronomer at the University of Grenoble, France, and at the European Southern Observatory, Chile. As the instrument scientist of the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer at Mt. Graham, AZ, he leads the NASA-funded HOSTS survey for exozodiacal dust around nearby stars

Zodiacal light is one of the most elusive features of our night sky; visible in the West after dusk and in the East before dawn as a large cone of faint light stretching from the horizon along the ecliptic. Arizona’s dark skies make it ideal for observing its cause; sunlight scattered from zodiacal dust particles near Earth’s orbit. Surely, the night skies of many Earth-like exoplanets must show a similar feature. Studying exozodiacal dust can give us insights into their architecture, specifically for those exoplanets in the habitable zone. At the same time, the dust poses an obstacle to imaging habitable exoplanets with a large space telescope, one of NASA’s primary future goals. Dr. Ertel will present the efforts using the LBT to detect and study exozodiacal dust. He will also talk more broadly about how the LBT’s interferometer makes it the first 30-meter class telescope on Earth.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – August 2018
2018-08-09 18:30 - 20:30 | U.S.G.S. Building, 520 North Park Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Gus Gomez will start the evening off with a talk on defunct constellation Argo Navis, followed by Rob Halberg who will be discussing the astronomer Copernicus for our main presentation.

Tumacácori National Historical Park Star Party & Dark Sky Celebration
2018-08-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Tumacacori National Historical Park, 1891 E Frontage Rd, Tumacacori, AZ, 85640, United States
Join the staff of Tumacácori National Historical Park, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, and the Sonora Astronomical Society for a celebration of astronomy and the Park’s designation of an International Dark Sky Park. We will have several telescopes to view some amazing astronomical objects under some incredibly dark skies.

Oracle State Park Star Party
2018-09-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Oracle State Park, 3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ, 85623, United States
Star Party-Oracle State Park.
ORACLE
Viewing Location: Sidewalk along the Kannally Ranch House parking lot and on the Ranch House upper patio.
Information: Great dark skies in Oracle, north of Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Dress for cool nights. Recommend bringing small RED flashlights (regular flashlights restrict night vision and ability to view dim deep sky objects). Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
Other events may also be scheduled. Check Oracle State Park Website for more detail.

General Meeting – September 2018
2018-09-07 18:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Introductory Presentation
Title: Seasonal Night Sky Objects
Speaker: Mary Turner, PhD

Mary Turner, TAAA’s appointed Chief Observer, takes us on an early tour of the upcoming winter night sky. As usual in her popular talks, Mary’s use of astronomical data, images, and mythology brings the seasonal changes in the sky to life.
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Are We Alone: Extraterrestrial Technological Life in Our Galaxy
Speaker: Dr. Robert Strom is Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona. Retired after 36 years of teaching and research at UA, Dr. Strom remains active in research; his main interest is the planets, global warming, and exoplanet life. Dr. Strom holds numerous awards, including six from NASA, as well as the Career Distinguished Teaching Award from UA. He’s been part of many Imaging and other Science Teams for space missions, and brings us a wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom.

In Dr. Strom’s talk, he evaluates the number of technological civilizations likely to currently be in the Milky Way Galaxy, and presents a thought-provoking argument for why we are almost surely not alone. He begins with our current estimated number of Earth-like planets in the habitable region of Sun-like stars; about 6.6 billion. Using a modified Drake Equation and six constraints, he gives estimates that are “optimistic”, “pessimistic” and “unlikely.” Even “unlikely” values give over 600 technological civilizations in the Milky Way. Furthermore, almost all of their extra-solar system technologies are probably much more advanced than ours. For a lively talk and discussion, join us on September 7th.

Elfrida, AZ Library Astronomy Event
2018-09-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Elfrida Library, 10552 N Hwy 191, Elfrida, AZ, 85610, United States
Stargazing event supporting Elfrida, AZ Library in SE Arizona. Come join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for an evening of observing some astronomy wonders in the night sky. We will view some planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, and lots more.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – September 2018
2018-09-13 18:30 - 20:30 | U.S.G.S. Building, 520 North Park Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Come join us for a presentation from the fundamentals of amateur astronomy.
Kay Lehman will talk about the northern constellation Cetus.
Followed by Doug Smith who will be giving a break down on The Mechanics of Clock Drives for our main presentation.
Email: fundamentals[at]tucsonastronomy.org

Agua Caliente Park Star Party
2018-09-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Star Party-Agua Caliente Park
Tucson, AZ (Northeast)
Observing: 7 – 9 PM
Viewing Location: Bus Lanes @ North end of Parking Lot
Information: Great dark skies in Northeast Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

General Meeting – October 2018
2018-10-05 18:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Introductory Presentation
Title: Financial Report
Speaker: Mike McDowell, TAAA Treasurer

TAAA Treasurer Mike McDowell will present the annual TAAA financial report, and an update on Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (CAC).
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Dark Clouds and Prestellar Cores – The Beginning Stage of Star and Planet Formation
Speaker: UA Associate Professor Dr. Yancy Shirley is a Hoosier who received his B.S. in Astronomy and Physics from the University of Arizona, and his Ph.D. at the University of Texas (Austin). He worked at the Very Large Array (radio telescopes) in New Mexico before returning to Arizona and joining the UA faculty in 2008. Dr. Shirley’s main studies are in the earliest phases of star formation, astrochemistry, and astrobiology using observations from infrared and radio telescopes.

In the early 1900s, American astronomer Edward Emerson (E.E.) Barnard photographed dark nebula and realized that these regions were not “vacancies” in the sky, but instead clouds of obscuring material. They contain the raw material—solid particles we call dust and a very rich molecular chemistry—from which stars and planets form today. In his talk, Dr. Shirley will describe how stars and planets form and show how we can observe these earliest phases across the Galaxy.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – October 2018
2018-10-11 18:30 - 20:30 | U.S.G.S. Building, 520 North Park Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Stephen Ferris will talk about the northern constellation Perseus. Followed by Ralph Means who will be doing a show and tell on
the equipment he uses for observing.

Elfrida, AZ Library Solar Observing
2018-10-12 10:30 - 12:00 | Elfrida Library, 10552 N Hwy 191, Elfrida, AZ, 85610, United States
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association at the Library in Elfrida, AZ for some daytime safe solar observing of the Sun. We will look for Sunspots and Prominences coming off the edge of the Sun. Weather Dependent.

Agua Caliente Park Star Party
2018-10-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Star Party-Agua Caliente Park
Tucson, AZ (Northeast)
Observing: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Viewing Location: Bus Lanes @ North end of Parking Lot
Information: Great dark skies in Northeast Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

Catalina State Park Star Party
2018-10-13 18:30 - 21:30 | Catalina State Park, 11570 N Oracle Rd, Catalina, AZ, United States
Star Party-Catalina State Park
Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: Trailhead Picnic area at end of road inside the park.
Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Catalina State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Catalina State Park. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have 10 telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

International Observe the Moon
2018-10-20 17:00 - 22:00 | UA Mall, 1601 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
A star party supporting International Observe the Moon. TAAA along with other astronomy organizations will be on the University of Arizona Mall near Flandrau Planetarium. Telescopes will be set up from 5 – 10 PM to view the Moon and other Solar System and Deep-Sky objects. We will also have a telescope dedicated to “Sky Souvenirs” for you to use your smart phone and our adapter to take a picture of the Moon. Flandrau Planetarium will be open for the event.

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing Event
2018-10-26 18:00 - 20:30 | Chiricahua National Monument, 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox, AZ, 85643, United States
Stargazing to view amazing solar system and deep sky objects. You will see planets, nebulae, star clusters, double stars, and lots more. We will have several telescopes for public viewing. Observing location is either Faraway Ranch (just inside the entrance gate) or Echo Canyon Overlook (about 5 miles past the visitor center). Please try to use red light flashlights and minimize white light (to include cell phones) that will hinder your night vision.
A talk on astronomy will be at the campground Amphitheater just past the visitor center starting at 6 PM.
The Star Party will go from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at either Faraway Ranch or Echo Canyon overlook.
Follow the event on Facebook for real-time updates.

General Meeting – November 2018
2018-11-02 19:30 - 21:00 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – NO Introductory Presentation
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Hayabusa2: Exploring Asteroid Ryugu and Implications for the Future
Speaker: Adriana Mitchell is an undergraduate senior majoring in Optical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Arizona. She works with Professor Vishnu Reddy at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and Dr. Lucille Le Corre at the Planetary Science Institute, on the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)’s Hayabusa2 mission.

Visiting Near Earth Asteroids helps scientists understand conditions during the formation of the solar system and might help uncover where Earth’s water and organic materials originated. Adriana will discuss the large strides being made in asteroid exploration with the current asteroid sample-return missions; NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex mission to Bennu and JAXA’s Hayabusa2 mission to the asteroid Ryugu. She will explain the implications for these cutting edge missions and her involvement in the creation of imaging products critical for characterizing potential landing sites on Ryugu for JAXA.
