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.
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.
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/).
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/).
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/).
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
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/).
TAAA will have a solar telescope to safely view the surface of the Sun. The Festival goes from 10 am to 4 pm with lots of other activities.
Constellation of the Month:
Delphinus and Equuleus
Presenter: Connor Justice
Connor Justice will start the night with the southern constellation Delphinus and Equuleus.
Main Presentation:
Star Hopping
Presenter: Doug Smith
For our main topic, Doug Smith will be teaching the basics of Star Hopping.
6:30 pm – Introductory Presentation
Title: Two Talks: Dark Sky NM Observatory and Bylaw Changes
Speaker 1: TAAA member Gregg Ruppel will talk about his Dark Sky New Mexico Observatory near Animas, NM.
Speaker 2: TAAA member Doug Smith will provide information about two suggested TAAA Bylaws changes.
7:30 pm – Main Presentation
Title: Testing Einstein’s Gravity by Taking Photographs of Black Holes
Speaker: Pierre Christian is a postdoc at the University of Arizona, where he is the Steward Prize Fellow in theoretical and computational astrophysics. Previously, he earned his doctorate from Harvard University, where he worked on black hole astrophysics. At UA, he is interested in using black holes to study gravitational physics. He is a member of the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, a worldwide scientific effort to take resolved images of black holes.
Pierre will describe the recent effort of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration in taking a high-resolution image of the black hole at the center of supergiant galaxy M87. He will first explain what a black hole is according to Einstein’s gravitational theory of general relativity. Then he will describe how a worldwide array of radio telescopes was used to capture an image of a black hole, and how such experiments can be used to test our understanding of gravity.
