Tag Archives: Solar System

Stargazing at Saguaro NP – East

January 31, 2025 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 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

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Catalina State Park

January 25, 2025 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Star Party at Catalina State Park – Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: Trailhead Picnic area at end of road inside the park.
Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Catalina State Park.
Star Party open to the Public.  Admission fee for entrance into Catalina State Park.

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have approximately 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 ((4) Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook).

Additional details will be posted here and on Facebook as we get closer to the event.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Agua Caliente Park

January 17, 2025 @ 6:30 pm 9:30 pm

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: ((4) Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook)

FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. go to: https://bit.ly/ticketsEE
These events fill up fast so recommend registering early.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Saguaro NP – West

January 17, 2025 @ 6:30 pm 9:00 pm

TAAA invites you to an evening of star gazing at Saguaro National Park – West
Located on the far West side of town on the other side of the Tucson mountains, this location has very dark skies from horizon to horizon. The park has been designated an Urban Night Sky Park in 2023.

The TAAA will have several Telescopes set up to view Stars, Nebula’s, Galaxies, Planets and more starting at 6:30pm! Telescopes will be arranged around the entrance walkway.

Introductory talks will be given starting at 5pm by the National Park Service (NPS), DarkSky International, and NOIRLab (Kitt Peak), prior to telescope viewing. Park staff will guide visitors on short walks through the Javelina Wash to discuss the night sky, and they are also hoping to include Indigenous storytelling

The stargazing event is free and open to the public, but NPS admission fees apply.
WEATHER DEPENDENT.  Follow the event on our Facebook page for any weather updates or changes:

(4) Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association | Facebook

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website
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Stargazing at Oracle State Park

January 4, 2025 @ 6:30 pm 8:30 pm

Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House 

  • Star Party telescope viewing (6:30 – 8:30pm)

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

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing at Tucson Mountain Park – Juan Santa Cruz Picnic Area

December 21 @ 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

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Solar Telescope Observing @ Saguaro NP – East

December 15 @ 1:00 pm 3:00 pm

Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Saguaro National Park – East for some Sun gazing at the park. We will observe the Sun through telescopes with appropriate filters so you will get to see sunspots, prominences, flares, and more.
The Sun is nearing its peak in the sunspot cycle so there is lots of activity on its surface.

This event is FREE and open to the public.  NPS admission fees apply.

The telescopes will be set up at the Bicycle Ramada next to the Visitors Center.
This event will most likely be canceled in the event of clouds/rain.

Bernie Stinger

612-396-8839

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website

Stargazing @ Picacho Peak State Park

December 7 @ 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

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
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 @ 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

Saguaro National Park EAST

3693 S Old Spanish Trail
Tucson, AZ 85730 United States
View Venue Website