Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association

ONLINE - General Meeting – November 2020
2020-11-06 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Phoenix) | ONLINE
TAAA’s first Friday monthly meeting will be held online. The November meeting will have a 6:30 P.M. presentation open to the general public. This will be followed at approximately 7:15 P.M. by a members-only meeting. To view the next meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: From Tucson to Tokyo: Building a Global Movement for Dark Sky Protection
Speaker: Ruskin Hartley joined the International Dark-Sky Association in February 2019. He brings 20 years of conservation experience to IDA’s work to protect the night from light pollution. Ruskin’s passion is protecting precious natural resources. He served as Executive Director of Save the Redwoods League, a non-profit dedicated to protecting and restoring the redwood forest; as CEO of Heal the Bay in Los Angeles; and as Vice President of Resource Development at Fair Trade USA. Originally from the United Kingdom, Ruskin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cambridge and a master’s degree from the University of East Anglia. Ruskin loves to head out on the trail with his wife and kids or cook-out under the stars..
On October 23, 1987, two Tucson Doctors—one M.D. and one PH.D.—incorporated the International Dark-Sky Association devoted to the “protection and restoration of dark nighttime skies through application and promotion of proper lighting practices.” What started as an astronomical-driven venture in Tucson is now a broad movement active on all continents. While light pollution has increased in the intervening years, Tucson continues to lead the way and show what is possible. Ruskin will explore emerging themes in dark sky conservation, discuss the global perspective, and share IDA’s strategy for accelerating dark sky protection worldwide.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Second Presentation
Title: Members-only Meeting
Speaker: none
The main presentation will be followed by a members-only meeting.

TAAA & LPL Virtual Star Party
2020-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | ONLINE
Join TAAA and the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory for a Solar System exploration, shared via Webinar: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/art/2020.

Chiricahua National Monument Night Sky Talk
2020-10-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Chiricahua National Monument, 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox, AZ, 85643, United States
Due to Covid-19, we will not have any actual telescope viewing. But, we will have a laser guided talk about the night sky. This will be held at the Echo Canyon Trailhead parking area so everyone can maintain social distancing without congregating around any telescopes. We also ask that you wear a mask. The talk will go from 7 to around 8 pm.

Registration is required because there is limited parking and to maintain physical distancing. Call the visitor center staff at 520-824-3560 x9302 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm to register for this special event.

Participants should dress warmly and wear face coverings, bring a portable chair or blanket to sit upon, drinks, snacks, binoculars, and a flashlight with a red filter, if possible.

Chiricahua National Monument website: https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm.

Virtual Star Party
2020-10-09 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 on our Facebook page (TAAA Facebook).

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – October 2020
2020-10-08 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
Aries
Presenter: Connor Justice

Connor Justice will be opening the meeting with a presentation on the northern constellation Aries.
Main Presentation:
Mars
Presenter: Stephen Ferris

Afterwards, Stephen Ferris will discuss the planet Mars, which is approaching Opposition later this month.

ONLINE - General Meeting – October 2020
2020-10-02 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s first Friday monthly meeting will be held online on Friday, Oct. 2. We will have two presentations, starting at 6:30 P.M. and open to the general public. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Highlights in the Next Quarter Century of Solar Eclipses
Speaker: Michael E. Bakich was Senior Editor of Astronomy magazine for 17 years before retiring in 2019. He and his wife, Holley, then realized their lifelong dream and moved to Tucson. Michael continues work for the magazine as Contributing Editor. He has authored eight books on astronomy, including Atlas of Solar Eclipses: 2020-2045.
No less than 56 solar eclipses will occur in the next 25 years. But which ones should an eclipse chaser target? The longest? The closest? In this illustrated talk, former Astronomy magazine Senior Editor Michael Bakich will describe highlights to expect from the next quarter-century run of nature’s most fantastic spectacle.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Second Presentation
Title: Fall Night Sky Objects
Speaker: Mary Turner, PhD, TAAA’s appointed Chief Observer.
Dr. Turner takes us on a tour of the fall night sky. Her use of astronomical data, images, and mythology will bring seasonal changes in the sky to life, as always in her popular quarterly talks.

Virtual Solar Observing
2020-09-27 10:00 - 11:00 | ONLINE
We will be doing a Virtual Solar Observing session with the Lunar & Planetary Laboratory. To view the event, register at: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/art/2020.

Astronomy Day & International Observe the Moon
2020-09-25 17:00 - 2020-09-27 15:00 | ONLINE
VIRTUAL
Join the Lunar & Planetary Laboratory and Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a weekend of International Observe the Moon. LPL will be hosting virtual events Friday evening, Saturday afternoon & evening, and Sunday morning & afternoon. TAAA will host some Solar Observing as part of this weekend event on Sunday at 10 am. These events will be streamed via Webinar. To register, go to: https://www.lpl.arizona.edu/art/2020.

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – September 2020
2020-09-10 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
Lacerta and Vulpecula
Presenter: Connor Justice

Connor Justice will be opening up the meeting with a presentation on the constellations Lacerta and Vulpecula.
Main Presentation:
Astronomer Johannes Kepler
Presenter: Doug Smith

Afterwards, Doug Smith will be following up with our main topic on the astronomer Johannes Kepler.

ONLINE - General Meeting – September 2020
2020-09-04 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s next monthly meeting will be held online. We will have a 6:30 P.M. presentation open to the general public. This will be followed at approximately 7:15 P.M. by some activities for TAAA members only. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Using Stars to Understand Saturn’s Atmosphere
Speaker: Zarah Brown is a 4th year graduate student at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. She studies Saturn’s upper atmosphere using Cassini data with her adviser, Tommi Koskinen, and did her undergraduate research on Saturn’s rings. She has degrees in both astrophysics and fine arts and helps run LPL’s annual Art of Planetary Science show.
The upper atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus are all hotter than would be expected if they were heated in the same way that Earth’s upper atmosphere is heated—a longstanding unanswered question in planetary science called the “energy crisis.” In the months before the Cassini spacecraft’s final plunge into Saturn, it made a series of observations of Saturn’s upper atmosphere to try and understand the origin of the additional heat. In a technique called stellar occultation, Cassini used the passages behind Saturn’s upper atmosphere of stars in Orion and Canis Major to provide detailed information about the ringed planet’s density and temperature. This unique set of observations has shed light on the outer planet energy crisis and was published in Nature Astronomy this April.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Other Activities
Title: TBD
Speaker: none
To be determined

Virtual Star Party
2020-08-15 20:30 - 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. The event will be streamed on our Facebook page as a Facebook Premiere (TAAA Facebook). It will also air on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com). Search Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.

ONLINE - General Meeting – August 2020
2020-08-07 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
ONLINE: Friday, August 7, 2020
6:30 – 8:00 pm
TAAA is continuing to hold its first Friday Member meetings online. The August 7 meeting at 6:30 P.M. is open to the general public. To view it live, please go to https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter & Remote Astrophotography
Speakers:
• Vannessa Gressieux is the Program Coordinator for the Mt Lemmon SkyCenter SkyNights program, a NASA / JPL Solar System Ambassador, and an OSIRIS REx Ambassador. She supports a variety of Tucson community-based events at schools and public outreach events, and coordinates tours and outreach for the Richard F Caris Mirror Lab. Originally from the East Coast, Vannessa fell in love with the dark skies of the Western US. sky. She encourages everyone to look up!
• Travis Deyoe began working for the SkyCenter as an undergraduate at the UA studying Astronomy. He graduated in May 2015 and has recently taken on an increased role in leading outreach programs. As a student, he worked for the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium as a Planetarium Operator, and as a Telescope Operator at Steward Observatory’s 61-inch Kuiper Telescope on top of Mount Bigelow. Travis enjoys imaging the night sky with his DSLR and taking planetary images through SkyCenter telescopes.
Tonight’s presentation will be a light overview of the history of the SkyCenter, with a focus on their Remote program. In 2008, Adam Block and the University of Arizona College of Science launched the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter at Steward Observatory’s Field Station. The mission of the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter is to engage people of all ages in interdisciplinary scientific exploration at research facilities in the Sky Island environment for a deeper understanding of our Earth and our place within the Universe. The SkyCenter’s educational activities include a public evening observing program, summer Sky Island programs, workshops, camps, remote observing, and special educational events. Our presentation will focus on remote astrophotography capabilities of the Schulman Telescope, and weather permitting, include a live demo of the astrophotography possible.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Second Presentation
Title: Election of Officers
Speaker: none
Elections will be held following the presentation. To vote, TAAA members will be requested to register to attend the meeting using a link that will be emailed to them. Following registration approval, you will receive a Zoom link unique to only to you for joining the meeting.

ONLINE - General Meeting – July 2020
2020-07-03 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
ONLINE: Friday, July 3, 2020
6:30 – 8:00 pm
TAAA is continuing to hold its first Friday Member meetings online. The July 3rd meeting at 6:30 P.M. is open to the general public. To view it live, please go to https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: The Latest Cutting-Edge Analysis of Apollo Lunar Samples
Speaker: Jessica Barnes is an Assistant Professor at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona. She completed her undergraduate and Ph.D. training in her native UK, and was a postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Jess’s research background is in lunar mineralogy and geochemistry. Her current research centers on the origin and evolution of inner solar system volatiles.
In preparation for future lunar missions in the 2020s and beyond, it is important to maximize the science derived from samples returned by the Apollo Program. By applying cutting-edge analytical techniques to Apollo samples we address both longstanding and new scientific questions. NASA’s Apollo sample collection includes a subset of samples that were specially curated in 1972 and have remained untouched and unstudied since then. The Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) initiative was designed to examine these pristine samples. Jess will talk about the preliminary examination of a never-before-studied lunar drill core and plans for the analyses of a frozen piece of lava from the Moon.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Second Presentation
Title: Seasonal Night Sky Object
Speaker: Mary Turner
Mary Turner, TAAA’s appointed Chief Observer, takes us on an tour of the summer 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.

Virtual Moon Stories
2020-06-27 14:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE
The Moon Stories activity will be streamed on TAAA Facebook Live starting 2 pm (Arizona/PDT) Saturday June 27. This is a great event for families and students. For additional information or to print out activity documents, go to: http://tucsonastronomy.org/community-services/teachers-corner/.

Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party
2020-06-13 18:00 - 2020-06-20 20:30 | ONLINE
VIRTUAL. VIRTUAL. VIRTUAL.
This year’s Grand Canyon Star Party will be Virtual and streamed from the Grand Canyon National Park Facebook page. Here are links to the Grand Canyon News Release and Facebook Page. Follow the Facebook event for any updates:

Schedule/Information 2020 Virtual GCSP

·
TAAA Members: Please attend as many events as possible and help us out
by assisting in answering chat questions of visitors, encouraging their interest
in the sky, and mentioning the 2021 GCSP!
Grand Canyon National Park
https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/newsreleases.htm/
Grand Canyon’s 2020 Star Party will be Hosted Virtually
[A night sky with red lighting in the forefront highlights telescopes looking at the sky. The words “Welcome to the Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party 2020!” are superimposed over the image.]
The 30th annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held virtually June 13-20, 2020. While the on- site event at Grand Canyon National Park has been cancelled on both rims due to concerns over
COVID-19 this year, the park hopes to bring the wonders of the night sky into the virtual realm
through a series of video premieres on Grand Canyon’s official Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/events/252511419184647/
Go to Facebook to participate in event. Or go to Facebook and set up a personal reminder.
JUN 13 AT 6 PM – JUN 20 AT 8:30 PM
Online Event
Public · Hosted by
Grand Canyon National Park
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party 2020
Welcome to the Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party 2020!
Grand Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon Conservancy invite you to the Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party 2020, June 13-20…

https://www.facebook.com/GrandCanyonNationalPark/
Schedule
Saturday, June 13, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Dark Skies in Isolation: Why Protecting the Night Sky is More Important Than Ever by Dr. John Barentine
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 1 by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy
Association
Sunday, June 14, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Lions, Vultures, and a Scorpion, Oh My! A Summer Jaunt through Arabian Skies by Dr.Danielle Adams
7:00PM – 8:30PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 2 by Focus Astronomy
Monday, June 15, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
A Tour Through the Universe by Dean Regas
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 3 by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy
Association
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Infant Galaxies to Alien Atmospheres: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope by Dr. Amber Straughn
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 4 by Focus Astronomy
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
The Art of Photographing Dark Skies by Shreenivasan Manievannan
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 5 by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy
Association
Thursday, June 18, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
One Giant Leap: Apollo Astronaut Training in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Schindler
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 6 by Focus Astronomy
Friday, June 19, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Astrophotography for Beginners by Bettymaya Foott
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 7 by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association
Saturday, June 20, 2020
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Planetary Defense: Surveying the Sky for Killer Asteroids by Professor Vishnu
Reddy
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party: Session 8 by Focus Astronomy
Definitely Also SEE Additional Information on NPS Web Page
Including info on 2021 GCSP:
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-star-party.htm/

Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association and the National Park Service for the 30th annual Star Party. The Star Party will be June 13 – 20, 2020. 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. The skies are so dark you can clearly see the band of the Milky Way overhead. We start with a talk in the Visitor Center Auditorium about an astronomy topic at 8 pm. Observing at the telescopes goes from sunset (about 8 pm) to 11 pm. This event is free and open to anyone inside the Grand Canyon (park entrance fee required). For additional information, check out our Grand Canyon Star Party Webpage at: http://tucsonastronomy.org/upcoming-events/grand-canyon-star-party/.

CANCELLED - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – June 2020
2020-06-11 18:30 - 20:30 | CANCELLED
The AFSIG is currently NOT having online meetings.

ONLINE - General Meeting – June 2020
2020-06-05 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
The General Meeting will continue online. See Mae’s member emails for information about topics and how to access the meeting.
At the current time, it is available only to members, but that may change in the future.

VIRTUAL Star Party
2020-05-12 20:30 - 22:00 | AZ
M3 is a spectacular globular, and one of the largest, with 500,000 members. It is located in Canes Venatici. This cluster is nearly as old as the universe itself. Note the young blue stars, Blue Stragglers, embedded in the cluster.NASA image/ Teuwen
TAAA will host a VIRTUAL star party coming to you from Tucson, AZ. We will explore about 12 objects for an hour and a half. This will be a Facebook Live event and is accessible from our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. The event will be accessible from the Videos section and can be replayed after the event as well. The TAAA Facebook page is a public page and does not require any login to view. If you want any real-time updates, weather advisories, or other information leading up to the event, you can follow the Facebook event. The star party will go from 8:30 – 10 pm Tucson, AZ (Pacific Daylight). Tucson is GMT – 7.

VIRTUAL Star Party
2020-04-21 20:00 - 21:30 | AZ
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
TAAA will host our first ever VIRTUAL star party coming to you from Tucson, AZ. We will explore about 12 objects for an hour and a half. This will be a Facebook Live event and is accessible from our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. The event will be accessible from the Videos section and can be replayed after the event as well. The TAAA Facebook page is a public page and does not require any login to view. If you want any real-time updates, weather advisories, or other information leading up to the event, you can follow the Facebook event.

Oracle State Park Stargazing
2020-03-14 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.

Agua Caliente Park Stargazing
2020-03-14 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/).

Saguaro National Park EAST Monthly Astronomy Event
2020-03-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2020-02-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Saguaro National Park EAST, 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ, 85730, United States
TAAA Support to the Saguaro National Park EAST monthly astronomy event.
Join park naturalists for an introduction to astronomy and a look at the desert night sky. Telescopes and binoculars will be available. Reservations are required. Call the Visitor Center at (520) 733-5153. Accessible Program.
Observing and talk will be at the Visitor Center from 7 – 9 pm.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – March 2020
2020-03-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Tucson City Council Ward 6, 3202 E. 1st Street, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States
Constellation of the Month:
Auriga
Presenter: Gus Gomez

Gus Gomez will be presenting Auriga for the constellation of the month.
Main Presentation:
Discussion on Equipment Modifications
Presenter:

Our main topic will be an open discussion on equipment modifications that members have done to enhance their viewing sessions.

General Meeting – March 2020
2020-03-06 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: The Astronomical League and TAAA’s Astronomy Fundamentals Class
Speakers: Doug Smith and JD Metzger

TAAA member Doug Smith talks about The Astronomical League, and TAAA member JD Metzger talks about TAAA’s Astronomy Fundamentals Class.
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Using Light Echoes as Time Machines
Speaker: Jennifer Andrews is an observational astronomer interested in massive stars and the violent explosions that signal the end of their lives. She has been at Steward Observatory for the past few years, and spends a lot of her time observing supernovae and other transients with telescopes in Southern Arizona. Jennifer received her PhD at Louisiana State University, and prior to moving to Tucson she worked as a postdoc at the University of Massachusetts
The great eruption of the massive star Eta Carinae in the mid-1800s was a spectacular astronomical event, when it likely ejected a mass of material 10 – 20 times that of the Sun, and was visible to the naked eye. Until recently the only observations of that eruption were historical visual estimates of Eta Carinae’s brightness and color. Thanks to our evolving ability to use light echoes (LEs) we can now re-examine the event. As some light from Eta Carinae’s eruption traveled directly toward us and was observed in the 1800s, light directed away from us was scattered off dust, and we are finally observing it today as a light echo. Over the past decade we have been obtaining imaging and spectroscopy of these echoes with telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere, enabling us to reconstruct Eta Carinae’s physical state prior to and during the great eruption. Jennifer will discuss these observations and what they reveal about one of the most enigmatic massive stars in the Milky Way

Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Stargazing
2020-02-22 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/).

Tucson Star Party
2020-02-15 14:00 - 21:00 | Pima Community College East, 8181 E Irvington Rd, Tucson, AZ, United States
Annual Tucson Star Party co-sponsored with Astronomy Magazine. Solar observing from 2 pm until sunset. Evening observing from sunset to 9 pm. Enjoy some dark sky observing under wonderful Tucson skies. Follow the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook event for weather and other updates.

Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – February 2020
2020-02-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Tucson City Council Ward 6, 3202 E. 1st Street, Tucson, AZ, 85719, United States

General Meeting – February 2020
2020-02-07 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: Member Planet Database Update
Speaker: David Rosetter

TAAA member, David Rosetter, in charge of the TAAA Member Planet system, (which manages the TAAA member database), will talk about expanded web benefits for TAAA members and provide information on the web options available. Bring any questions you have on how to best access TAAA information.
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: A Tale of Two Galaxies
Speaker: Dr. Knut Olsen is a staff astronomer at the National Science Foundation’s Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, based in Tucson. Born in Norway, he moved to the U.S. at a young age and quickly developed a fascination for astronomy. He worked on the Magellanic Clouds as part of his Ph.D. thesis, and continued his exploration of them while living and working in La Serena, Chile, where the Clouds are naked eye objects. He moved to Tucson in 2007.
Dr. Olsen will present a personal story of how a chance observing run kicked off more than a decade of exploration of and discovery in the Magellanic Clouds, two of our most prominent neighbor galaxies. The Magellanic Clouds have been key to establishing the extragalactic distance scale, played a seminal role in the discovery of Dark Energy, and are causing us to adjust our view of the Milky Way.

Catalina State Park Stargazing
2020-02-01 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/).
