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.

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – November 2020
2020-11-12 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter: none

We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting.
Main Presentation:
Venus
Presenter: Doug Smith

Our only presentation this month will be Doug Smith discussing the planet Venus .

ONLINE - General Meeting – December 2020
2020-12-04 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s first Friday monthly meeting will be held online. The December meeting will have a 6:30 P.M. Main Presentation open to the General Public. This will be followed at approximately 7:15 P.M. by a Members-only meeting, at which TAAA’s David Rossetter will present proposed Constitution and Bylaw changes. To view the next meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Fun with Fermi AGN – A Quick Stroll Through a Lethal Photon Field
Speaker Bio: Paul Smith was born in Rochester, NY, during the year Sputnik circled the planet, and numerous atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted, as the two dominant global powers rattled sabers. Dr. Smith muses it might have been the high tensions of the era, or the elevated radiation levels that pulled him into science, particularly astronomy, by grade 4. He earned a B.S. in physics from Saint Louis University, and a Ph.D. in the same field from the University of New Mexico, before moving to Tucson in 1986. For most of the past 35 years, Dr. Smith has been at Steward Observatory, and has been successively involved with the Hubble, Spitzer, and Fermi space observatories. His main research interest is the polarized light emitted from quasars and other types of active galactic nuclei (AGN).
Presentation: Dr. Smith’s presentation centers around NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the decade-long effort to support this important science mission by using telescopes in the Tucson area to observe the most active quasars. While extremely active quasars, or blazars, represents a small percentage of the population of known active galactic nuclei (AGN), it makes up over 70% of the objects detected by Fermi in the high-energy gamma-ray sky. Blazars are highly variable in brightness and polarization on short time scales (less than a day), enabling us to study relatively small regions that produce enormous amounts of energy. Many observations at different wavelengths are needed to understand the physics of these systems. Dr. Smith’s presentation will take us to the cutting edge of science.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Second Presentation
Title: Members-only Meeting – Constitution and Bylaw changes
Speaker: David Rossetter
The main presentation will be followed by a members-only meeting, at which David Rossetter will present proposed Constitution and Bylaw changes.

Virtual Star Party Stargazing
2020-12-05 19:00 - 20:30 | AZ
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 Live from our Facebook Page (TAAA Facebook)

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – December 2020
2020-12-10 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Constellation of the Month:
None
Presenter: none

We do not have a constellation of the month for this meeting.
Main Presentation:
Open Floor Discussion
Presenter: none

This month, instead of presentations, we will be doing an open floor discussion on topics brought up by attendees.

Virtual Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction Stream
2020-12-21 18:00 - 19:15 | ONLINE
Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a live telescope stream of the Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction. This is a once (or twice if you are young) in a lifetime event. The planets will get to within .1 degree on December 21st. They are actually separated by distance as Jupiter is 551 million miles from Earth and Saturn is about twice as far at just over 1 billion miles from Earth. They will be close enough to be a challenge to separate with just your eyes. Observing with a pair of binoculars or a telescope is ideal. The last time they were this close together and were observable was in 1226 (794 years ago). The next conjunction that will be this close will be in 2080. The pair starts December about 2 degrees apart. The distance decreases by about .1 degree every day, so observe them every evening and watch them get closer to each other. On the 21st, join us to view them through a refractor telescope.
The Conjunction will be streamed live to our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy

ONLINE - General Meeting – January 2021
2021-01-08 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s first Friday monthly meeting will be held online. The meeting will have a 6:30 P.M. Main Presentation open to the General Public. This will be followed, at approximately 7:15 P.M., by a Members-only meeting, which will feature our popular Seasonal Night Sky Presentation by Mary Turner. We’ll also have voting on proposed Constitution and Bylaw changes. To view the next meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy
6:30 pm – Main Public Presentation
Title: Volcanism and Cyrovolcanism in the Solar System: Examples from Earth, Mars, and Europa
Speaker Bio: Joana Voigt received a B.S. and M.S. in Geological Sciences from the Free University Berlin, Germany in 2015 and 2017 respectively and an M.S. in Planetary Sciences from the University of Arizona in 2020. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at UA’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. A planetary geologist, she is primarily interested the eruption products on Earth, Mars, the Moon, to better understand the thermal dynamic evolution of planetary bodies.
Volcanism includes eruptions of silicate magma on terrestrial bodies, as well as in cryovolcanic (icy volcanic) deposts, which form on exceptionally cold outer solar system regions, where water can behave like magma. In Voigt’s presentation, she will discuss examples of silicate volcanism on Earth and Mars, and evidence of cryovolcanism on Jupiter’s moon Europa.
The 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption produced the largest lava flow-field in Iceland in over two centuries. This eruption helps us understand the dynamics of large silicate lava flows on Earth and on other planetary bodies. Voigt will discuss the Icelandic Holuhraun eruption, and evidence of similar, geologically recent eruptions on Mars that suggest it may still be a volcanically active world. Voigt will also discuss the remains of a cryovolcanic eruption on Jupiter’s moon Europa. She will explain how an impact-induced melting of its crust can generate small brine pockets that lead to a cryovolcanic eruption of salty water onto the surface. Such an eruption—triggered by an impact, not a deep interior process—is fundamentally different from traditional forms of silicate volcanism.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Members-Only Meeting
Title: Seasonal Night Sky followed by voting on Constitution and Bylaw changes
Speaker: Mary Turner
The main presentation will be followed by a Members-only meeting, which features our popular Seasonal Night Sky presentation by Mary Turner. We’ll also have voting on proposed Constitution and Bylaw changes
MEMBERS SHOULD MAKE SURE TO USE THE ZOOM LINK, IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED.

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – January 2021
2021-01-14 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:
Serpens Cauda
Presenter: none

Our constellation of the month is Serpens Cauda.
Main Presentation:
Open Floor Discussion
Presenter: multiple

Our main topic will be an open floor discussion on any upcoming events in astronomy such as pending telescope launches and planet alignments.

ONLINE - General Meeting – February 2021
2021-02-05 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
TAAA’s general member meeting will be held on February 5 and be conducted online. The meeting will start at 6:30 P.M. All presentations at this meeting are open to the public, to give potential new members a chance to learn more about TAAA. These will be followed by members-only open discussion and breakout rooms at approx. 8:30 P.M. To view the meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/
6:30 pm – Main Public Presentation
Title: Astronomical League (AL) observing programs
Speaker: Douglas Smith
Douglas Smith will present a general summary of the new Astronomical League (AL) observing programs and status of our club’s AL membership and awards. The AL, comprised of over 240 amateur societies from across the USA, is dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy.
7:15 pm (Approx) – Open to Public
Title: Update on Chiricahua Astronomy Complex
Speakers: Jim Knoll, Mike McDowell and Ed Foley
Jim Knoll, Mike McDowell and Ed Foley will provide an update on Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, TAAA’s dark-sky observing site about 100 miles SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua Mountains. The 16 acres, with incredibly dark skies, provide an opportunity for members to observe extremely faint and distant deep-sky objects. We have several large telescopes and observing pads for member use and are in the process of building a state-of-the-art Learning Center with classroom facilities and a building with sleeping rooms for overnight accommodations. This will allow us to provide first class astronomy education outreach to schools and youth groups throughout Southeastern Arizona and enhance our member observing experience. Join us for an update on this member benefit.
Title: Annual Treasurer’s Report
Speaker: Treasurer Mike McDowell
Treasurer Mike McDowell will give the Annual Treasurer’s Report.

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – February 2021
2021-02-11 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:
Musca
Presenter: Doug Smith

Doug Smith will start the evening off with a presentation on the constellation Musca.
Main Presentation:
Hidden Structures of the Milky Way
Presenter: Connor Justice

Connor Justice will be giving the main presentation on Hidden Structures of the Milky Way.

Virtual Star Party Stargazing
2021-02-12 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 Live)

ONLINE - General Meeting – March 2021
2021-03-05 18:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE
6:30 pm – Main Public Presentation
Title: Tuning into the Radio Universe
Speaker: Ardis Herrold works as the Education Specialist for Vera C. Rubin Observatory, (formerly known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and being built in Chile to survey the night-sky with unprecedented depth and detail). A lifelong amateur and educator, Ardis established and advised a high school club, the Radio Astronomy Team (the RATs) for nearly three decades at Gross Pointe North High School in Michigan, where she taught. She and many of her former students have a long-established relationship with the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, home of the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope.
This talk will provide a brief introduction to how radio telescopes operate, what sort of observations can be made with them, and the advantages and disadvantages of radio observing. Amateur astronomers can build and operate radio telescopes. Ardis will look at some of the different types of radio telescopes that can be constructed, and what resources are available for those interested in learning more or getting started in radio astronomy.

ONLINE - Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – March 2021
2021-03-11 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing (Tentative)
2021-03-13 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 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.
