Tag Archives: Planets

Stargazing at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

February 28 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Join us at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for an evening of stargazing under extremely dark skies at a historic location. Few locations in the U.S. have skies this dark!

TAAA will have volunteer astronomers with Telescopes setup and viewing Planets,
Nebulas, Galaxies, Star Clusters and more, under the dark skies of Southern Arizona!

Star Party is free but national park admission fees apply.

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/events

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Oracle State Park

February 22 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Star Party telescope viewing (7:00 – 9:00pm)

Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park.
3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ 85623
Star Party open to the Public. Admission fees for entrance into Oracle State Park apply.

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will be observing the Moon + Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, and Star Clusters.
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 event page:  TAAA Facebook Events page

Also: Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information and activities that day:
Star Party at Oracle State Park | Oracle State Park (azstateparks.com)

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Tubac Presidio State Historical Park

February 14 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Join us at the Tubac Presidio State Historical Park in Tubac AZ for an evening of stargazing under truly dark skies at a historic location.

TAAA will have volunteer astronomers with Telescopes setup and viewing Planets,
Nebulas, Galaxies, Star Clusters and more, under the dark skies of Southern Arizona!

For more information check out:
Events | Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum

Star Party is free but there is an admission fee for non-members of the Presidio.

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/events

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Picacho Peak State Park

February 14 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Truely dark skies at a scenic location – Picacho Peak State Park
Star Party is open to the Public. Event is free but park admission fees apply.

The 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 at a really dark location.

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/events

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Tucson Mountain Park – Juan Santa Cruz Picnic Area

December 21, 2024 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Star Party @ Tucson Mountain Park – Juan Santa Cruz Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (right next to Sonoran Desert Museum)

Viewing Location: Small side loop on East side of main loop.
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: TAAA Facebook Events page

Event is FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Go to this link to register:  https://bit.ly/ticketsEE
These events may fill up early.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Picacho Peak State Park

December 7, 2024 @ 6:00 pm 8:00 pm

Truely dark skies at a scenic location – Picacho Peak State Park
Star Party is open to the Public. Event is free but park admission fees apply.

The 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 at a really dark location.

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/events

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Planets of the Month: November 2024

By Erich Karkoschka

Mercury is visible during dusk until the 25th around 6 pm, but it is low and difficult to find.

Venus is 20 degrees to the upper left of Mercury, setting around 8 pm. It is finally setting well after the end of twilight so that it becomes very obvious.

Saturn transits 50 degrees high around 8 pm and earlier later this month. Its rings are 5.4 degrees open, quite thin compared to the average view. From now until next spring, the rings will close completely.

Jupiter is rising in Taurus about when Saturn transits. Its magnitude of -2.8 can cause visible shadows on the ground at very dark sites.

Mars is rising around 10 pm, so that all bright planets are visible in the evening sky this month. Its magnitude goes negative, and its size becomes larger than 10 arc-seconds this month. This is the start of the good period to observe Mars with telescopes.

Uranus and Neptune are located between Jupiter and Saturn with Uranus closer to Jupiter and Neptune closer to Saturn. Uranus is just 6 degrees south of the Pleiades.

Minor planet (15) Eunomia of magnitude 8 transits 87 degrees high in Auriga.

The Moon is new twice this month, on the first and the last day of the month. It is first visible on the 3rd near Mercury, then on the next day near Venus. On the 12th, it occults Neptune at 6:40 pm, an event that lasts around 5 seconds compared to milliseconds for occultations of stars. On the night of the 15th-16th, it occults many stars of the Pleiades, although the Full Moon makes them hard to see. On the 27th, it occults Spica for most of North America, although Tucson is a near miss with both extremely close together at 4 am at the eastern horizon.

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS moves from Ophiuchus to Aquila as it fades more and more from being visible in binoculars.

Stargazing at Oracle State Park

November 30, 2024 @ 6:00 pm 8:00 pm

Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House 

  • Star Party telescope viewing (6:00 – 8:00pm)

Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park.
3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ 85623
Star Party open to the Public. Admission fees for entrance into Oracle State Park apply.

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will be observing the Moon + Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, and Star Clusters.
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 event page:  TAAA Facebook Events page

Also: Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information and activities that day:
Star Party at Oracle State Park | Oracle State Park (azstateparks.com)

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Canoa Ranch

November 23, 2024 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation for some stargazing at Historic Canoa Ranch.

We will observe planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, galaxies, and lots more.

Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook

FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: Go to:  https://bit.ly/ticketsEE
These events fill up quickly.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Saguaro NP – East

November 22, 2024 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Star Party – Saguaro National Park – East
3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730

Great dark skies on the East side of Tucson at Saguaro National Park – East.
Star Party is open to the Public. Event is free but NPS admission fees apply.

The 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: Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

10 Organ Pipe Drive
Ajo, Arizona 85321 United States
520-397-6849
View Venue Website