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.
Evening Under the Stars Observing at the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) Chiricahua Astronomy Complex. Want to stargaze from a dark site where the band of the Milky Way is clearly visible across the sky? You see so many stars it is hard to pick out the constellations. Twice per year, we open our TAAA Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (Turkey Creek area near Chiricahua National Monument) to the public for an observing session. You can observe through a telescope with a 40″ mirror and see galaxies over 100 million light years away. We will have several large telescopes to observe with.
Our Fall “Evening Under the Stars” will be Saturday October 29th 2022. The gate will be open at 5:30 pm with activities starting 6 pm and observing at 6:30 pm. Come join us for an exciting evening of astronomical observing. The site is about 90 minutes SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua National Monument. If you have friends/family that live in that area, let them know. The event is weather dependent. Reservations are required. Please email John Kalas at jckalas[at]cox.net for reservations and directions. Please include number of people & vehicles in your group. Space is limited.
The nebulosity associated with M45 is not the progenitor of the cluster. Instead, it is a nebula through which M45 is passing. NASA Image, Robert Gendler
Evening Under the Stars Observing at the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) Chiricahua Astronomy Complex. Want to stargaze from a dark site where the band of the Milky Way is clearly visible across the sky? You see so many stars it is hard to pick out the constellations. Twice per year, we open our TAAA Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (Turkey Creek area near Chiricahua National Monument) to the public for an observing session. You can observe through a telescope with a 40″ mirror and see galaxies over 100 million light years away. We will have several large telescopes to observe with.
Our Spring “Evening Under the Stars” will be Saturday April 23rd 2022. The gate will be open at 7 pm with activities starting 7:30 pm. Come join us for an exciting evening of astronomical observing. The site is about 90 minutes SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua National Monument. If you have friends/family that live in that area, let them know. The event is weather dependent. Reservations are required. Please email John Kalas at jckalas[at]cox.net for reservations and directions. Please include number of people & vehicles in your group. Space is limited.
The nebulosity associated with M45 is not the progenitor of the cluster. Instead, it is a nebula through which M45 is passing. NASA Image, Robert Gendler
Tucson Astronomy Festival at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park Telescopes, Exhibits, Fun!
Brandi Fenton Memorial Park Ramada
ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Hands-On Exhibits for Kids 3 to 6:30 PM
Safe Solar viewing of the Sun 3 to 6:30 PM Door Prizes will be given away at 7 PM – winners must be present
Youth under 17 Grand Prize: Tabletop Telescope
Other prizes for the entire family
Night Sky Viewing 7:30 PM to 9 PM
Kid-Friendly Scope viewing throughout the evening
No charge for any activities, donations will be accepted.
Bring your own telescope for help setting it up and operating the scope.
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 be at the Echo Canyon Trailhead about 5 miles inside the park. A talk will be scheduled at Bonita Campground Amphitheater before the observing at Echo Canyon. The park may will a shuttle bus from the Visitor Center (check there upon arrival). 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/.
Schedule.
Talk at Bonita Campground: 6 – 6:45 pm
Observing at Echo Canyon Trailhead: 7-9 pm
Check back here or on Facebook closer to the event for any updates.
TAAA Stargazing to view amazing solar system and deep sky objects from a Dark Sky Park. You will see the planet Uranus, nebulae, star clusters, double stars, galaxies millions of light years away, and lots more. We will have several telescopes for public viewing. Observing location will be at Faraway Ranch just inside the entrance gate. Please try to use red light flashlights and minimize white light (to include cell phones) that will hinder your night vision. Chiricahua National Monument website: https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm. Weather dependent — Follow the event on the TAAA Facebook page to get weather and other updates: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/.
Check back here or on Facebook closer to the event for any updates.
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.
Star Party-Oracle State Park
Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House
Information: Great dark skies at one of America’s Dark Sky Parks just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Oracle State Park may apply. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/). There is generally a talk and other events also taking place. Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information. Check TAAA Facebook Page or here for any updates as we get closer.
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a Virtual tour of the Night Sky. We will explore planets, Nebulae, Star Clusters, Galaxies, and much more using cameras connected to telescopes. The event will be streamed to our YouTube channel (TAAA YouTube). You can follow our Facebook event for any weather and other updates and the link to our YouTube Channel. FREE.
Check Facebook or back here closer to the event for any updates.
Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a Virtual tour of the Night Sky. We will explore planets, Nebulae, Star Clusters, Galaxies, and much more using cameras connected to telescopes. The event will be streamed to our Facebook Page (TAAA Facebook). You can follow our Facebook event for any weather and other updates. FREE.
Check Facebook or back here closer to the event for any updates.
