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Welcome.On behalf of the Minnesota Astronomical Society welcome to our web site! Please accept our invitation and join us in our explorations of the cosmos, either as a visitor to one of our many events or as a member of the Society.
UPCOMING EVENTSFirst, a huge THANK YOU to all the MAS members and the guests who were at this years Astronomy Day. With considerably less than ideal weather it turned out to be a success. Visit the MAS Forum, HERE, for full details. In addition to the regular schedule of upcoming star parties (listed below on this page), there are several additional MAS meetings and events happening in the next few weeks. B-SIG meeting May 12 at the Joseph J. Casby Observatory. MAS Member Orientation May 19 at the St Louis Park Library, 3240 Library Lane, St. Louis Park Casby Observatory training and Belwin Orientation (open to MAS members) on May 19. Partial Solar Eclipse party at the Onan Observatory on Sunday evening, May 20. Finally, If you haven't done so already, it's time to get very serious about making plans to see the ''last in your lifetime'' event, the Transit of Venus on Tuesday, June 5th. Details on the Solar Eclipse and the Transit of Venus can be found on the Onan Observatory website. Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1)Currently located in the west, more than 75 degrees in altitude at sunset (above the constellation Cancer), comet Garradd is moving through the Lynx on a downward trajectory that will take it into Cancer. At about 9th magnitude, Garradd continues heading away from the sun. As it does, Garradd may give us a final photo opportunity on the evenings of May 9-11 as it passes less that 40 arc minutes from galaxy NGC 2683. More info for Comet Garradd can be found HERE or on the MAS Discussion Forum. I also added a chart for following comet Garradd on the Discussion forum HERE. Planet Update (rev. May. 2, 2012) Mercury is visible low in the eastern sky in the early morning. Slowly gaining altitude each morning until mid April. Mercury will be no more than 7.5 degrees above the horizon at sunrise when it reaches greatest elongation on April 18. Mercury will remain in the morning sky until late May, when it passes the far side of the sun and becomes visible in the evening sky again. Venus (magnitude –4.4) is well placed in the evening sky, currently over 30 degrees above the horizon at sunset. Venus is ''BLAZING'' in the early evening sky, so much so I prefer to view it before the sun sets. Venus currently sports a ''crescent moon'' phase as it is moving nearer the sun. Venus reached greatest eastern elongation on March 27 and is moving towards the Sun again. Venus will move closer to the Sun throughout the spring of 2012 and culminate by transiting the disk of the Sun on June 5th 2012. MARK YOUR CALENDARS - JUNE 5, 2012!!! This is a ''last in our lifetime'' event that will next happen in Dec. of 2117. Additional information on the Transit of Venus and seeing it can be found HERE. Mars, is well past opposition and at sunset is visible in the southern evening sky, about 55 degrees above the horizon. Look for Mars below the ''Sickle'' of Leo just to the east of Regulus. Mars' apparent disk size is beginning to wane, currently less than 10 arc-seconds. Because of Mars' elongated orbit, not all oppositions are alike. This years opposition was the farthest one since 1995. In the coming years each opposition will improve giving us a closer view of the red planet until July of 2018 when we'll have a greater than 24 arc-second Mars again. (only slightly smaller than the 25 arc-second size during the 2003 opposition). Get out soon to see Mars as its apparent disk size is getting smaller every day. Jupiter is quickly fading into the sunset. At magnitude -2.0, it is currently located below Venus, at an altitude of less than 5 degrees at sunset. Jupiter is another object to get out and see soon as it is dipping towards the setting sun. Very soon, Jupiter will be lost in the glare of twilight as it transitions to a morning object in mid May. Saturn is well past opposition and about 20 degrees above the horizon at sunset. With its rings opening up again after the ring plane crossing of 2009, we expect that Saturn will be the center of attention for evening viewing throughout the summer. Saturn will spend the majority of the year in the constellation Virgo. Look for it within 5 degrees of Spica, the slightly dimmer alpha star of Virgo. Uranus is very low in the morning sky, currently 13 degrees above the horizon at sunrise. Sixth magnitude Uranus will become an easier target for viewing in late June when it rises about 1:00 am and be more than 40 degrees above the horizon at sunrise. By mid August it will rise before 10:00 pm, working its way to opposition in late September. This year, Uranus does something rare as it makes its way around the sun. As our solar system siblings wander around the sun, their paths are usually above or below the ecliptic, allowing them to stray into constellations outside the zodiac. From our perspective, Uranus will spend most of the year (May 12 to September 16), in the non-zodiac constellation of Cetus. Neptune, at 8th magnitude, is ''visible'' in the morning sky, 23 degrees above the horizon at sunrise in the southeast. Neptune will spend the year in the constellation Aquarius, about 35 degrees to the west of Uranus. Neptune will become easier to view as it moves away from the suns glare. By mid June it will rise before 1:00 am and be 33 degrees in altitude at sunrise. This will be about the maximum altitude we'll see from here, as Neptune works its way through the southern constellations of zodiac. By late July, Neptune will rise before 10:00 pm, reaching opposition in late August. Star Party Update
The next Onan Public Observing night will be Saturday, May 12.
Directions to Baylor Park and the Onan Observatory
Click on Wunderground box below for Minneapolis weather forecast.  Clear Sky Charts for MAS Observing Sites. Click banner for added detail. Onan Cherry Grove Casby/Belwin/Metcalf LLCC Next MeetingJune 7th at Fairview Community Center, 7:00 - 9:00 pmSpeakers: Ken Hugill, Bob Kerr, John Marchetti and Dave Tosteson Topic: Astronomical League Observing Programs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 5th at Fairview Community Center, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Speakers: Dave Falkner and Nancy Rauschenberg Topic:Transit of Venus Trips ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meeting Location: Fairview Community Center 1910 County Road B West - ''Great Room'' Roseville, MN 55113 Celestial Events Lunar Phase~~~~Solar activityNewsPayPal Option for New or Renewing MembersNew or renewing members can now use PayPal to pay their dues. Visit the membership section of the web (http://www.mnastro.org/membership/join.htm) or click on any 'Join the MAS' link to take advantage of this easy-to-use feature. MAS Joins JPL's 'Night Sky Network'The Minnesota Astronomical Society is pleased to announce its acceptance into the 'Night Sky Network'. Visit the MAS outreach page (www.mnastro.org/outreach) for details.
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