Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing (Tentative)
2021-03-13 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Phoenix) | Chiricahua National Monument, 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox, AZ, 85643, United States
REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Call the Visitor’s Center to register: 520-824-3560, ext 9302.
Star Party at Chiricahua National Monument. We will have a Laser Walk Around the Night Sky starting 7:30. At 8:15 we will have a telescope set up to view objects through a monitor. Event will be held at Far Away Ranch, 1 mile 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/.

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing (TENTATIVE)
2021-03-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
TENTATIVE – Pending COVID-19 Status
REGISTRATION REQUIRED. LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS. If your plans change after registration, please cancel your registration so others may enjoy the event.
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 using monitors for astronomical viewing to practice Social Distancing for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Only registered participants will be allowed entry. Please arrive as close as possible to the start time. For real-time updates, check in here or follow the event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
Registration will required. Register after February 20, 2021 at: https://stargazing_acp.eventbrite.com

ONLINE - General Meeting – April 2021
2021-04-02 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s general member meeting will be held on April 2 and be conducted online. The meeting will start at 6:30 P.M. It will be followed by Mary Turner’s popular Seasonal Night Sky Presentation. The main presentation and Night Sky Presentation are open to the public. A Members Only Meeting will follow. To view the meeting, please visit Tucson Astronomy Facebook Live
6:30 pm – Main Public Presentation
Title: OSIRIS-REx: Mission Update Before Final Farewell Flyby of Bennu
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission team has passed many milestones in its long journey to study near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu; overcoming unforeseen obstacles including house-sized boulders in its path, pandemics, and concerns of sample loss after successful sample collection in October 2020. This presentation will focus on recent discoveries and results of the Touch-and-Go-Sample Acquisition Maneuver (TAG event) last Oct. 20th.
Before heading back toward Earth, the team will conduct a Final Flyby of Bennu on April 7. Presenter Dolores H. Hill will explain the purpose of the flyby, as well as the important discoveries made all along both about navigating the mission, and about this “rubble-pile” asteroid’s formation and the history of the Solar System. The returned sample will reveal even more important details about Bennu, and the organic materials important to life. Join us us on Friday, April 2nd for the latest OSIRIS-REx news, and what to look forward to as well.
Presenter: Dolores H. Hill is former OSIRIS-REx Ambassadors lead and is currently a member of the sample team for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission and coordinates LPL outreach. She is co-lead of the Astronomical League’s Target NEOs! Observing Program that transitioned from OSIRIS-REx Target Asteroids! citizen science program, honored as a White House Champion of Change for Citizen Science in 2013. Since 1981 Dolores has analyzed a wide range of meteorites at UA’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson, and provided technical support to space missions and LPL laboratories. A longtime member of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, Dolores also co-founded the Sunset Astronomical Society in Midland, Michigan, and was a member of the Warren Astronomical Society in the Detroit-area. Near-Earth asteroid (164215) Doloreshill is named after her. She looks forward to seeing samples of near-Earth asteroid Bennu in 2023!

Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Stargazing (CANCELLED)
2021-04-03 19:30 - 21:30 | Ironwood Picnic, 7300 W Hal gras Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735, United States
CANCELLED – Pending COVID-19 Status
Star Party-Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (West)
WE CANCELLED EVENT DUE TO COVID-19 AND INSUFFICIENT SPACE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
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 – April 2021
2021-04-08 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
AFSIG monthly meetings will be held online, starting at 6:30 P.M. The presentation is open to the general public. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
Constellation of the Month:
Chameleon
Presenter: David Evans

David Evans will be presenting Chameleon as the constellation of the month.
Main Presentation:
Neptune and Uranus
Presenter: Doug Smith

Doug Smith will be talking about Neptune and Uranus for the nights main topic.

Oracle State Park Stargazing (VIRTUAL)
2021-04-10 19:00 - 21:00 | ONLINE
VIRTUAL
CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK
Star Party-Oracle State Park
Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: ONLINE
Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park. Star Party open to the Public. This event will be streamed online to the Oracle State Park Facebook Page and/or YouTube Channel. Additional details to follow.
Anticipate an introduction with music, a talk by the International Dark Sky Association, and a Star Party by Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.

Astronomy Festival (VIRTUAL)
2021-04-17 15:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE
April 17, 2021 @ 3:00 pm – 7:30 pm (VIRTUAL)

Astronomy Festival will be held online this year and will stream to the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Page TAAA Facebook Live and YouTube Channel TAAA YouTube Channel. We will have solar observing in the afternoon and a nighttime observing session in the evening. In between will be A Walk Around the Night Sky with Native and Star Lore, astronomy videos and activities for the entire family.
SCHEDULE
3.00-3.05 pm: Introduction
3.05-3.22 pm: Solar Observing Part 1
(Observe Sunspots, Prominences, and other activity on the Sun)
3.22-3.35 pm: Magnetic Sun (Learn about activity on the Sun like
Prominences, Flares, Filaments, Sunspots, and more)
3.35-4.16 pm: Sorting the Universe
(Learn how astronomers makes sense out of the Universe)
4.16-4.32 pm: Our Place in Our Galaxy
(Where we fit in our Galaxy)
4.32-4.50 pm: Solar Observing Part 2
(Observe Sunspots, Prominences, and other activity on the Sun)
4.50-5.07 pm: Why Do Eclipses Happen (How and why Eclipses happen and
when the next ones will occur)
5.07-5.19 pm: Pocket Solar System
(Make your very own Pocket Solar System)
5.19-5.31pm: Videos
What is a Nebula
Flight Through the Orion Nebula
Losing the Dark
5.31-5.52 pm: TAAA Overview (Learn the benefits of becoming a member of
the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, our Dark Sky Observing
Sites, Special Interest Groups, Telescope & Book Library and lots more)
5.52-6.21 pm: Walk Around the Night Sky
(Native American and Ancient Star Lore of the Night Sky)
6.21-7.22 pm: Nighttime Star Party
(Observe galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, double stars, and lots more)
7.22-7.26 pm: Conclusion
Visit our Public Events Webpage for Additional information: Public Events
Join us at anytime or for the entire time!

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing (Tentative)
2021-05-01 19:30 - 21:30 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
TENTATIVE – Pending COVID-19 Status
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/). TO REGISTER (Free, limited availability): See Event Website.

ONLINE - General Meeting – May 2021
2021-05-07 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
6:30 – 8:00 pm: Open to everyone via Facebook Live Approximately 8:00 pm: Members Only
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, May 7, 2021, and available online. The Main Presentation starts at 6:30 P.M and is open to the public. Non-members may attend via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. Members should attend the meeting via Zoom, since a Members Only Meeting will follow.
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Science for Everyone: Empowering Students with Citizen Science and More
Science—including astronomy—is a messy process of discovery. And science education doesn’t always present the content in a way that actively engages students in the scientific process. At the same time, many science fields face challenges analyzing the wealth of data they collect. To help solve these challenges in astronomy, researchers have turned to citizen science through platforms such as the Zooniverse. These projects enable interested members of the public (adults as well as kids) to help analyze data by classifying galaxies, identifying features on Mars, or even isolating signals from meteoroids and near-Earth objects. Additionally, these projects create promising opportunities for students by broadening their science education to include contributions to ongoing research. And by integrating students’ research contributions with their typical science classes and relevant real-life experiences, students gain a greater appreciation for science and improve their abilities to critically examine, understand, and use data.
Presenter: Christine O’Donnell is a postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University with a joint appointment between the School for Earth & Space Exploration and the Center for Gender Equity in Science & Technology. Her current research focuses on developing and assessing science education curricular materials, and her past work also featured research into galaxy formation and dark matter. Christine completed her Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Arizona in Summer 2020. Outside of her work, Christine enjoys crafting/making hobbies, like glassblowing, crocheting, and knitting, and spending time with her cat.

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing
2021-05-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Chiricahua National Monument, 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox, AZ, 85643, United States
REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Call the Visitor’s Center to register: 520-824-3560, ext 9302.
Star Party at Chiricahua National Monument. We will have a Laser Walk Around the Night Sky starting 7:30. At 8:15 we will have a couple telescopes set up to view objects through a monitor. Event will be held at Faraway Ranch, 1 mile 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/.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – May 2021
2021-05-13 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
AFSIG monthly meetings will be held online, starting at 6:30 P.M. The presentation is open to the general public. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
Constellation of the Month:
Camelopardalis
Presenter: David Evans

David Evans will be giving us the highlights of the constellation Camelopardalis.
Main Presentation:
Pluto
Presenter: Stephen Ferris

Stephen Ferris will finish up the night with the main topic on Pluto.

ONLINE - General Meeting – June 2021
2021-06-04 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
6:30 – 8:00 pm: Open to everyone (via Facebook Live) Approximately 8:00 pm: Members Only (via Zoom)
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021, and available online. The Main Presentation starts at 6:30 P.M and is open to the public. A Members Only Meeting will follow. Non-members may attend the Main Presentation via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. Members should attend the meeting via Zoom.
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Ivory Towers in Backyards
Presentation: Many astronomers dream of their own personal observatory in their backyard. What are some of the options out there for individuals to have a small observatory only feet away from family and a soft, warm bed? Joseph Wright uses anecdotes and a lifetime of talking to a wide variety of audiences, including youth, to inspire people to become involved or more involved in astronomy.
Presenter: Joseph Wright’s interest in astronomy started when he was a teen Boy Scout working on the astronomy Merit Badge at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation in Osceola, MO, Joe continued his interest as a member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City, and by studying Architecture and Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas. He has created construction for several small observatories. He is now employed by UA and Steward Observatory as an Instructional Specialist, as well as a high school teacher in Architectural Design, CAD/Drafting and Robotics. The winner of many honors and awards in his field, Joe is Solar System Ambassador with Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), an Airborne Astronomy Ambassador with The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) and the Sofia aircraft. And still more! He’s president of the National Sharing The Sky Foundation, and in his 17th year as Operations Manager of the Warkoczewski Observatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He resides near Excelsior, MO, and considers Tucson his second home.

Grand Canyon National Park Star Party (VIRTUAL)
2021-06-05 18:00 - 2021-06-12 20:00 | ONLINE
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association and the National Park Service for the 31st annual Star Party. The Star Party will be June 5 – 12, 2021 and will be held virtually. You will see Solar System planets, Galaxies Far Far Away, Star Clusters — some with several hundred thousand stars, Nebulae, multiple star systems (some with as many as 6 stars), and lots more. For additional information, check out our TAAA Grand Canyon Star Party Webpage at: http://tucsonastronomy.org/upcoming-events/grand-canyon-star-party/.
To view the virtual stream, visit the Grand Canyon Facebook Page. For additional information, schedule, and links to the Facebook stream, visit the Grand Canyon Star Party website: Grand Canyon Star Party

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – June 2021
2021-06-10 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
AFSIG monthly meetings will be held online, starting at 6:30 P.M. The presentation is open to the general public. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
Constellation of the Month:
Hydrus and Phonix
Presenter: David Evans

David Evans will be presenting Hydrus (not to be confused with Hydra) and Phonix for the constellation of the month.
Main Presentation:
Mercury
Presenter: Doug Smith

Doug Smith will be wrapping up our slate of presentations on the planets with a talk on Mercury.

ONLINE - General Meeting – July 2021
2021-07-02 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
6:30 – 8:00 pm: Open to everyone (via Facebook Live) Approximately 8:00 pm: Members Only (via Zoom)
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, July 2, 2021, and available online. The Main Presentation starts at 6:30 P.M and is open to the public. A Members Only Meeting will follow. Non-members may attend the Main Presentation via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. Members should attend the meeting via Zoom.
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Solar Cycle 25 and The Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers Solar Section (ALPOSS)
Presentation: Solar cycles are on average 11 years, with the Sun’s sunspot activity during them transitioning from quiet to active and back to quiet in that time. At its quietest, the Sun is at solar minimum, where we are now. During a good solar maximum, the Sun will be covered with spots, and with the right filters, seen to be erupting with flares and huge prominences. Solar Cycle 25 is the current solar cycle. It began in December, 2019, with the Sun at its least active. ALPO Solar Section Coordinator and long-time TAAA member, Richard ‘Rik” Hill will talk about the Sun’s current ramp-up, comparing the three major predictions for its increasing activity, and explaining how The ALPOSS observes this ramp-up, with its members contributing to the database of solar observations. Solar cycle predictions are very important; ‘space weather’ or conditions in space change much like weather on Earth. Solar outbursts lead to a range of effects, from breathtaking auroras, to the disruption of satellites, radio communications, the power grid, and yes, even smart phones.
Presenter: Richard “Rik” Hill’s interest in astronomy was galvanized at age 8 when a substitute teacher in his two-room schoolhouse in rural Oakland County, Michigan, brought a telescope to school and projected an image of the Sun. In the Navy, Rik served as a radar tech on a ship chosen as an Atlantic backup recovery ship for Apollo 8. Since 1975, he’s been a member of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO) and the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). From 1979-1991, Rik operated the Burrell Schmidt telescope on Kitt Peak. In 1982, he founded ALPO’s Solar Section. In 1999, Rik began working with the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS), a near-earth asteroid search project, through which he discovered thousands of asteroids, naming over 120 of them before retiring in 2015. In retirement, he is still the Coordinator for the ALPOSS. He also enjoys working at his home observatory, collecting fossils big and small, cultivating bonsai trees, vegetable gardening, and taking in rescue cats. Rik is married to Dolores Hill, who works on the OSIRIS-REx mission team to return a soil sample from the asteroid Bennu.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – July 2021
2021-07-08 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
AFSIG monthly meetings will be held online, starting at 6:30 P.M. The presentation is open to the general public. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter: None

No constellation of month.
Main Presentation:
Research Results from the Professional Astronomy Community
Presenter: to be determined

This month’s main topic will be recapping several research results from the professional astronomy community that will be covering new discoveries about planetary formation, supernovas, as well as Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus.

Reid Park Zoo Summer Safari Nights
2021-07-24 17:30 - 20:30 | Reid Park, 900 S Randolph Way, Tucson, 85716, United States
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will be supporting the Reid Park Zoo for their Dog Days of Summer Astronomy at the Zoom from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. If the weather cooperates, we will have an hour or so of Solar Observing before sunset. We will show pictures of astronomy objects and be available to talk about astronomy in Tucson.

ONLINE - General Meeting – August 2021
2021-08-06 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, August 6, 2021, and available online. The Main Presentation starts at 6:30 P.M and is open to the public. A Members Only Meeting will follow. Non-members may attend the Main Presentation via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. Members should attend the meeting via Zoom.
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Preparing for Artemis: Understanding the Moon’s most important resource
Presentation: Dr. Casey Honniball, from Goddard Space Flight Center is featured in this pre-recorded presentation about NASA’s Artemis program given to the Night Sky Network in May 2021. NASA’s Artemis program will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. Innovative technologies will allow the Artemis crew to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. A sustainable presence on the lunar surface requires in-depth knowledge of the Moon’s available resources. Perhaps the most important of these is water. In preparation for Artemis, the lunar water cycle is being studied to understand the source, transport and retention of water across the Moon. Dr. Honniball will discuss how we study water on the Moon from Earth-based observatories and how water may be used in future Artemis missions.
Presenter: Dr. Casey Honniball is a research fellow in the NASA Postdoctoral Program at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Her current research focuses on characterizing water on the Moon and testing field portable instruments for use by astronauts during an extravehicular activity on planetary surfaces. She earned her Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Science from the University of Hawaii in 2019. Recently Dr. Honniball and her team announced the direct detection of water molecules on a sunlit portion of the Moon using the air-borne telescope SOFIA. Since then, she has made numerous media and outreach appearances to talk about lunar water.
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ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – August 2021
2021-08-12 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Come join us for a presentation from the fundamentals of amateur astronomy. Learn your way around the night sky to add to your observing enjoyment. Meetings are on the second Thursday of each month.
Contact: Connor Justice
Email: fundamentals[at]tucsonastronomy.org
Constellation of the Month:
Fornax
Presenter: Doug Smith

Doug Smith will be discussing Fornax as the constellation of the month.
Main Presentation:
NGC 2000.0: The Complete New General Catalogue
Presenter: Connor Justice

Our main topic will be on the NGC catalog by Connor Justice.

From Google Books: “This essential amateur astronomer’s reference is an updated and expanded edition of J. L. E. Dreyer’s famous New General Catalogue, providing visual data and notes for 13,226 deep-sky objects.”

Desert Skies Virtual Star Party Stargazing
2021-08-27 19:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a Virtual tour of the Night Sky using three telescopes. We will explore planets Jupiter and Saturn, Nebulae, Star Clusters, Galaxies, and much more. The event will be streamed live to our Facebook Page (TAAA Facebook). You can follow our Facebook event for any weather and other updates. FREE.

ONLINE - General Meeting – September 2021
2021-09-03 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, September 3, 2021, and available online. The Main Presentation starts at 6:30 P.M and is open to the public. A Members Only Meeting will follow. Non-members may attend the Main Presentation via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. Members should attend the meeting via Zoom.
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: NEO Surveyor Mission: Why Does It Matter?
Presentation: University of Arizona astronomer and professor Dr. Amy Mainzer will talk about the new NASA mission she is leading; the Near Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission. NEO Surveyor is an infrared space telescope designed to expand our ability to find, track, and characterize asteroids and comets that may pose a threat to Earth. Objects are considered NEOs if they come within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. By identifying these objects when they are decades away, we will potentially be able to mitigate their danger by pushing them out of the way.
Presenter: Dr. Amy Mainzer serves as the Principal Investigator for NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission, an Earth-orbiting satellite that uses infrared sensors to characterize asteroids and comets. She is also leading NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission, currently in development, which will carry out a comprehensive survey of the most potentially hazardous NEOs. Dr. Mainzer is currently the Chair of the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), the world’s largest professional society of planetary scientists. She also serves as the Chair of NASA’s Planetary Advisory Committee (PAC). She was the science consultant, co-executive producer, and on-camera host of the PBS Kids television show Ready Jet Go!, which aimed to teach basic physics, Earth science, and astronomy to children ages 3-8. She was in the 2016 documentary, “For the Love of Spock”, directed by Adam Nimoy (Leonard Nimoy’s son) and several episodes of the History Channel’s “The Universe” series.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – September 2021
2021-09-09 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
Hydrus
Presenter: David Evans

David Evans will be highlighting the southern constellation Hydrus.
Main Presentation:
Astronomer William Herschel
Presenter: Connor Justice
Connor Justice will be providing the main topic on astronomer William Herschel, who discovered Uranus.

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing
2021-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | 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. The event is FREE but register at: https://september_stagazing_aguacalientepark.eventbrite.com

Oracle State Park Stargazing
2021-09-11 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 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.

The Art of Planetary Science
2021-09-24 19:00 - 21:00 | UA Mall, 1601 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will participate in the Lunar and Planetary Lab Art of Planetary Science with evening observing on the UA Mall September 24 and some Solar Observing (time TBD) on Sunday September 26. More to follow as we get closer.

The Art of Planetary Science Solar
2021-09-26 13:00 - 15:30 | UA Mall, 1601 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States

ONLINE - General Meeting – October 2021
2021-10-01 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Searching for Earth-Twin Exoplanets with the NEID Spectrometer
Over the past three decades astronomers have discovered a menagerie of exoplanets around nearby stars, and it is now clear that planets form with a breadth of characteristics barely hinted at by the planets in our solar system. The goal of finding and characterizing rocky, Earth-like planets remains paramount, but until recently has been hampered by astronomical instruments lacking the sensitivity required to detect signals from these small bodies. A new class of spectroscopic instruments, including the NASA and NSF (National Science Foundation) funded NEID spectrometer at the 3.5 meter WIYN telescope on Kitt Peak, is now coming online, and for the first time will start probing nearby stars for Earth twins.
NEID is dedicated to high precision radial velocity (RV) observations of exoplanets. The RV (or Doppler) effect depends on a planet causing a tiny gravitational pull on the star it orbits, causing the star to “wobble” which can be noted as changes in its spectrum. In his talk, Dr. Chad Bender will describe the technology enabling these new searches, and what is to come over the next few years as astronomers push the limits of sensitivity lower and lower towards the goal of finding planets like our own.
Presenter: Dr. Chad Bender is an instrument builder and observational astronomer, studying how planets and planetary systems form and evolve. He has spent the past decade designing and building two extreme precision radial velocity (RV) spectrometers that are now in operation. Earlier this summer, his team completed construction of NEID, which is now the most precise RV spectrometer in the United States, and which has begun a survey of nearby Sun-like stars to search for Earth-like planets. Dr. Bender received his Ph.D. in 2006, and is currently an Associate Astronomer at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory.
7:30 pm (approximately) – Seasonal Night Sky Presentation
Dr. Mary Turner will present her popular Fall Night Sky Presentation.

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing
2021-10-02 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 the Dark Sky Park. You will see planets, nebulae, star clusters, double stars, and lots more. We will have several telescopes for public viewing. Observing location will either be Echo Canyon Trailhead or the Faraway Ranch just inside the entrance gate. A talk may be scheduled before observing at Bonita Campground Amphitheater. 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.

Catalina State Park Stargazing
2021-10-09 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/).
Additional details will be posted here and on Facebook as we get closer to the event.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – October 2021
2021-10-14 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting, so our only topic for the night will be on Historical Women in Astronomy, by Doug Smith.
