Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Stargazing
2021-12-04 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Phoenix) | Ironwood Picnic, 7300 W Hal gras Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735, United States
Star Party-Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (West)
Viewing Location: Second Restroom area approximately 3/4 of the way in on Hal Gras Road.
Information: Great dark skies in Western 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/).

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – December 2021
2021-12-09 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter:

We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting.
Main Presentation:
Classifying Star Types
Presenter: Connor Justice

Our only topic for the night will be Classifying Star Types by Connor Justice.

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing
2021-12-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Star Party-Agua Caliente Park
Tucson, AZ (Northeast)
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. Park gate may close before event end time, so arrive as close to start time as possible. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Check back here for the link as we get closer.

Chiricahua Astronomy Complex Observing
2021-12-27 18:30 - 20:30 | Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, 9315 E Perseus Way, Pearce, AZ, 85625, United States
Come join us for an evening of observing at our Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (CAC), 100 miles southeast of Tucson near the Chiricahua Mountains. CAC is an incredibly dark site with several large telescopes. The number of telescopes used will depend on the number of participants. Cost is only $50/adult and $25/child under 15. For reservations and additional information, visit our Tucson Stargazing Adventures or select Star Parties, Tucson Stargazing Adventures, Observing at our very dark site.

ONLINE – General Meeting – January 2022
2022-01-07 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Dark Skies in Southern Arizona: Past, Present and Future
Presentation: John Barentine, astronomer, historian, and policy-maker will present on the global dark-skies movement. That the movement effectively began in the Tucson area, is no surprise given its long astronomical history. In his presentation, John will review regional achievements to date and the challenges we face in the coming decade that involve the balance of managing growth and sustaining astronomy’s contribution to the local economy. Lastly, he will touch on satellite ‘megaconstellations’, an issue not limited to our region, but of increasing concern to professional and amateur astronomers alike.
Presenter: John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in educating the public about science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events.
7:15 pm – Seasonal Night Sky Presentation
Mary Turner will present her popular Seasonal Night Sky Presentation.

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing
2022-01-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
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. Park gate may close before event end time, so arrive as close to start time as possible. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Eventbrite Registration

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – January 2022
2022-01-13 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter:

We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting.
Main Presentation:
Asterisms
Presenter: Peter Hermes

Peter Hermes will discuss various asterisms, (which is a pattern or group of stars).

Stargazing at Canoa Ranch
2022-01-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Canoa Ranch, 5375 S I-19 Frontage Road, Green Valley, AZ, 85622, United States
Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association and Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation for an evening of stargazing at Historic Canoa Ranch. Canoa Ranch is located south of Tucson along I-19 at 5375 S I-19 Frontage Road. Event will go from 6 – 8 pm. Pre-Registration is required. Go to https://www.eventbrite.com/ and search for Stargazing Canoa Ranch to register.

Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Stargazing
2022-01-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Ironwood Picnic, 7300 W Hal gras Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735, United States
Star Party-Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (West)
Viewing Location: Second Restroom area approximately 3/4 of the way in on Hal Gras Road.
Information: Great dark skies in Western 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/).
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Event Registration

ONLINE – General Meeting – February 2022
2022-02-04 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Hot Jupiters
Presentation: Dr. Megan Mansfield will present on Hot Jupiters; gas giant exoplanets (planets outside the Solar System) that are similar in size to Jupiter. However, the scorching hot temperatures of Hot Jupiters go as high as several thousand degrees. That makes their chemistry very unlike that of the Solar System’s Jupiter. For example, a typical Hot Jupiter might be warm enough for it to rain liquid iron instead of water. In her talk, Dr. Mansfield will describe some of the unique properties of Hot Jupiters. She’ll also share Hubble Space Telescope observations of Hot Jupiters which give information on the properties of their atmospheres. And she will describe how these observations were used to construct a “field guide” to Hot Jupiters, to help researchers learn more about these unique planets, including how they formed.
Bio: Megan Mansfield is originally from Des Moines, Iowa. She went to college at MIT and graduate school at the University of Chicago before moving to Tucson to become a NASA Sagan Fellow at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory. She works with Daniel Apai, using both ground-based and space-based telescopes to study the atmospheres of exoplanets. Outside of work, she enjoys running, making music, and hanging out with her cats, Orion and Luna.
7:15 pm – TAAA’s Policy on Working with Minors Training
TAAA President Mae Smith and Star Party Manager Jim Knoll will present the Triennial requirement for TAAA’s Policy on Working with Minors. This training is required for members participating in the School/Nonprofit Star Party program, the Tucson Stargazing Adventures paid star party program, and any members that might be involved in educational or telescope programs in remote locations such as the Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (CAC) or at TIMPA. This training is recommended for all other TAAA members and is a good opportunity to broaden knowledge of TAAA programs and policies. The presentation will provide policy background and review circumstances that may be experienced when conducting these educational outreach programs. It will also review the five activity levels and provide an opportunity to seek clarification or ask questions. Estimated training time is 45 minutes. (Note that this is Fundamentals Training, which covers most common TAAA activities with minors. An Advanced Training will be announced when offered.)

Catalina State Park Stargazing
2022-02-05 19:00 - 21:00 | 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/).
Additional details will be posted here and on Facebook as we get closer to the event.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – February 2022
2022-02-10 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter:

We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting.
Main Presentation:
Uncommon Star Types Like Pulsar’s
Presenter: ???

Our only topic for the night will be a continuation of our recent topic on Star classification about the uncommon star types like pulsar’s.

Tucson Star Party
2022-02-12 18:30 - 21:00 | Pima Community College East, 8181 E Irvington Rd, Tucson, AZ, United States
Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) in conjunction with Editors from the Astronomy Magazine and Pima Community College East for an evening of stargazing. We will observe planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, galaxies, and lots more through several telescopes. Observing will be at the south end of the PCC East Campus near the astronomy domes. Follow our Facebook event for any real-time updates or adjustments due to weather at: TAAA Facebook Events page

Stargazing at Historic Canoa Ranch
2022-02-18 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-03-11 19:00 - 21:00, 2022-04-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Canoa Ranch, 5375 S I-19 Frontage Road, Green Valley, AZ, 85622, United States
Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation for some stargazing at Historic Canoa Ranch. We will observe planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, galaxies, and lots more. Registration is required. Go to Eventbright and search for stargazing Canoa Ranch.

Virtual Stargazing
2022-02-19 19:00 - 21:00 | ONLINE
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a Virtual tour of the Night Sky. We will explore planets, Nebulae, Star Clusters, Galaxies, and much more. The event will be streamed from our Facebook Page (TAAA Facebook). You can follow our Facebook event for any weather and other updates. FREE.
Check Facebook or back here closer to the event for any updates.

ONLINE – General Meeting – March
2022-03-04 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics in the 2020’s: The Astro2020 Decadal Survey
Presentation: Every 10 years Congress charges the National Academy of Sciences with undertaking a survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics over the coming decade. The “Astro2020 Survey”, carried out by a main survey committee and roughly a dozen expert sub-panels, identified the most compelling scientific questions to be addressed, and recommended a comprehensive strategy by the National Science Foundation ( NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to address those objectives. This survey—in which several Arizona astronomers participated—also fully addressed, for the first time, the state of the astronomy profession and its societal impacts. Dr. Kennicutt’s talk will cover some of the highlights from the report (released last November), followed by time for questions and discussion.
Bio: Robert Kennicutt studies observational extragalactic astronomy, and holds part-time faculty positions at Steward Observatory and Texas A&M University. He has worked at the University of Arizona since 1988, with a break in 2005-2017 to serve as the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Astronomical Society, the American Astronomical Society, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Along with Fiona Harrison at Caltech, he co-chaired the Astro2020 Decadal Survey.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – March 2022
2022-03-10 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter:

We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting.
Main Presentation:
Uncommon Star Types Like Pulsars
Presenter: ???

Due to a lack of attendees, our main topic from last month has been reschedule to this month. Our discussion will be a continuation of our recent topic on Star classification, and cover uncommon star types like pulsars.

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing
2022-03-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
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. Park gate may close before event end time, so arrive as close to start time as possible. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Check back here for the link as we get closer.

Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Stargazing
2022-03-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Ironwood Picnic, 7300 W Hal gras Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735, United States
Star Party-Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (West)
Viewing Location: Second Restroom area approximately 3/4 of the way in on Hal Gras Road.
Information: Great dark skies in Western 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/).
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Check back here for the link as we get closer.

ONLINE – General Meeting – April 2022
2022-04-01 18:30 - 20:30 | ONLINE
The Main Presentation will start at 6:30 P.M, followed by Mary Turner’s popular Seasonal Night Sky Presentation. Both are open to the public via https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/.
TITLE: Resolving Black Holes with the Event Horizon Telescope
PRESENTATION: Black holes, predicted almost a century ago by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, were believed to power some of the most energetic phenomena in the Universe. However, their compact sizes make them extremely difficult to resolve. In 2017, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration brought together many radio telescopes around the world to form an Earth-size virtual telescope, and successfully captured the first ever images of a black hole—in the center of galaxy M87. This result enables astrophysicist to study the detailed astrophysics around black holes and test General Relativity itself. In this talk, presenter Chi-wan Chan will cover the theoretical background of black holes, the observation technique used to resolve them, and some of the open questions in black hole astrophysics.
BIO: Chi-kwan “CK” Chan is a computational astrophysicist working with cutting edge technologies to advance both theoretical and observational research. He has developed new algorithms to study magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, used graphics processing units (GPUs) to accelerate general relativistic ray tracing, designed cloud computing infrastructures to handle big observational data, and applied machine learning algorithms to speed up and automate data processing. Some of his active projects include simulating and understanding accretion disks, capturing images of black holes, and visualizing astrophysical simulations in virtual reality. He’s also a true wildcat, having received his bachelors and doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona. He is a Data Science Fellow at the UA Data Science Institute and an affiliate member of UA’s Applied Math GIDP.

Stargazing at Sunizona/Ash Creek Library
2022-04-01 19:30 - 21:00 | Sunizona Library, 6460 E Hwy 181, Pearce, AZ, 85625, United States
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Cochise County Library for an evening of stargazing under some incredibly dark skies. We will have a couple TAAA telescopes as well as the Library telescope to observe some planets; galaxies far, far, away; star clusters; nebulae to include stellar nurseries; multiple star systems; and lots more. Definitely a FAMILY FRIENDLY event. Follow our Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy for any weather or other updates. Dress warmly as the temperatures can drop quite a bit after sunset.

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing
2022-04-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Chiricahua National Monument, 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox, AZ, 85643, United States
TAAA Stargazing to view amazing solar system and deep sky objects from a Dark Sky Park. You will see the planet Uranus, nebulae, star clusters, double stars, galaxies millions of light years away, and lots more. We will have several telescopes for public viewing. Observing location will be at Faraway Ranch just inside the entrance gate. Please try to use red light flashlights and minimize white light (to include cell phones) that will hinder your night vision. Chiricahua National Monument website: https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm. Weather dependent — Follow the event on the TAAA Facebook page to get weather and other updates: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/.
Check back here or on Facebook closer to the event for any updates.

Tucson Astronomy Festival
2022-04-09 15:00 - 21:00 | Brandi Fenton Park, 3482 E River Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85718, United States
Tucson Astronomy Festival at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park
Telescopes, Exhibits, Fun!

Brandi Fenton Memorial Park Ramada

ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Hands-On Exhibits for Kids 3 to 6:30 PM
Safe Solar viewing of the Sun 3 to 6:30 PM
Door Prizes will be given away at 7 PM – winners must be present
Youth under 17 Grand Prize: Tabletop Telescope
Other prizes for the entire family
Night Sky Viewing 7:30 PM to 9 PM
Kid-Friendly Scope viewing throughout the evening

No charge for any activities, donations will be accepted.
Bring your own telescope for help setting it up and operating the scope.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – April 2022
2022-04-14 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellations of the Month:
Volans and Horologium
Presenter: Peter Hermes

With only 4 remaining until we’ve gone through all 88 constellations , Peter Hermes will be overviewing the southern constellations Volans and Horologium.
Main Presentation:
White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars
Presenter: ???

We will be finishing up the last of the Star classification talk from previous meeting with White Dwarfs and Neutron stars.

Virtual Stargazing
2022-04-22 20:00 - 22:00 | ONLINE
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a Virtual tour of the Night Sky. We will explore planets, Nebulae, Star Clusters, Galaxies, and much more using cameras connected to telescopes. The event will be streamed to our Facebook Page (TAAA Facebook). You can follow our Facebook event for any weather and other updates. FREE.
Check Facebook or back here closer to the event for any updates.

Oracle State Park Stargazing
2022-04-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Oracle State Park, 3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ, 85623, United States
Star Party-Oracle State Park
Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House
Information: Great dark skies at one of America’s Dark Sky Parks just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Oracle State Park may apply. 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 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/). There is generally a talk and other events also taking place. Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information. Check TAAA Facebook Page or here for any updates as we get closer.

Evening Under the Stars
2022-04-23 19:00 - 21:30 | Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, 9315 E Perseus Way, Pearce, AZ, 85625, United States
Evening Under the Stars Observing at the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) Chiricahua Astronomy Complex. Want to stargaze from a dark site where the band of the Milky Way is clearly visible across the sky? You see so many stars it is hard to pick out the constellations. Twice per year, we open our TAAA Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (Turkey Creek area near Chiricahua National Monument) to the public for an observing session. You can observe through a telescope with a 40″ mirror and see galaxies over 100 million light years away. We will have several large telescopes to observe with.
Our Spring “Evening Under the Stars” will be Saturday April 23rd 2022. The gate will be open at 7 pm with activities starting 7:30 pm. Come join us for an exciting evening of astronomical observing. The site is about 90 minutes SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua National Monument. If you have friends/family that live in that area, let them know. The event is weather dependent. Reservations are required. Please email John Kalas at jckalas[at]cox.net for reservations and directions. Please include number of people & vehicles in your group. Space is limited.
The nebulosity associated with M45 is not the progenitor of the cluster. Instead, it is a nebula through which M45 is passing.NASA Image, Robert Gendler

Stargazing at Elfrida Library
2022-04-30 19:30 - 21:00 | Elfrida Library, 10552 N Hwy 191, Elfrida, AZ, 85610, United States
