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.
NORTHERN NIGHTS STAR FEST!
September 9, 10, 11, 2010
Long Lake Conservation Center
(near McGregor, Minnesota)
Registration closes soon!! Register before August 30, 2010
Join serious amateur astronomers for our second annual Minnesota Astronomical Society (MAS) Northern Nights Star Fest. Offered in cooperation with the Long Lake Conservation Center (LLCC), this year’s program will include:
• Presentations by astronomical experts and scholars
• Opportunities to view objects through the 25” and 30” Obsession telescopes
• Excellent staging sites for setting up/using your scope
• Comfortable modern “bunkhouse” lodging and meals.
• Door prizes
• Swap meet
Space is limited so we encourage you to register early using the registration form on the LLCC website. Visit the
Northern Nights Star Fest Registration site.
Registrations must be received by August 30, 2010
For more information about the LLCC visit the
LLCC Home Page.
NNSFII Schedule
Thursday evening:
5:30 PM Dinner
6:45 Meet and Greet
Rest of evening - Observe
FRIDAY
9:00 AM Breakfast
Morning: Canoeing, Hiking, Discussion
Noon: Lunch
1:15 Tentative talk
2:30 Talk: Bob Kerr and Greg Haubrich MAS members: Ten Things You May Not Know About The Astronomical League
3:45 Talk: Todd Roggenkamp Executive Director, LLCC: LLCC History and Mission
Friday evening:
5:30 PM Dinner
6:30 PM Featured Speaker: Robert D. Gehrz, Chair, Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota: SOFIA Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy
Rest of Evening - Observe!
SATURDAY
9:00 AM Breakfast
Noon: Lunch
1:15 PM: Tentative talk
2:30 PM: Dave Tosteson: Deep Sky Observing at the Edge: Astronomy in the 21st Century
3:45 PM: Swap meet
4:15 PM: 30'' telescope training for MAS members
5:30 PM: dinner
6:30 PM: Featured Speaker: Terry Jones, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Minnesota: Who Says Pluto Is Not a Planet
Door prizes give-away after talk.
Rest of evening - Observe!
Join us for a memorable dark skies experience!
Star Party Update
Star Parties
The Northwoods Star Fest at LLCC is 3 nights, Sept 9 - 11. Please see above for details. Registration is $40, Lodging is $30 for shared bunkhouse facilities.
Cherry Grove on Sept 10 with the 11th as backup.
Metcalf/Belwin on sept 10 with the 11th as backup.
We try to post the go no-go decision for star parties by mid afternoon on the day of the event, but if this portion of the website is not updated, please check the MAS message line at 952-467-2426.
The Next Onan Public Observing Night is Saturday, Sept 18.
Typical Public Observing Nights begin around 7:00 pm and last until at least 10:00 pm - usually longer if it is clear. Public Observing Nights are held whether it is clear or cloudy. When conditions do not allow direct observing, presentations and recorded views of previously observed Solar System and Deep Sky Objects are substituted. There is no fee for attending. Members, guests and visitors are all invited. Please note that Carver County parks may charge a nominal parking fee. For directions, see the link below for directions to Baylor Regional Park and Onan Observatory.
Directions to Baylor Park and the Onan Observatory
Directions to Cherry Grove
Directions to Metcalf
Directions to LLCC
Link to Belwin Map
Please note that, unlike Onan Public Observing Night events, attendance at MAS Star Parties is entirely optional. As a result there could be dozens of people also with you at the star party, or there is a remote chance you could find yourself alone! MAS Star Parties are generally Friday night events, with Saturday being the backup night. LLCC star parties are both Friday and Saturday night. All Star Parties are 'clear weather' events.
If this webpage is not updated, please call MAS Message Service, 952-467-2426, after 4:00PM for Go or No-Go decision.
Click below to see the Clear Sky Chart predictions for tonight along with sunset and moon phase information
Sunset and Clear Cky Chart Predictions
Next Meeting
The Next MAS General Meeting will be held on Thursday September 2nd, from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm.
Speaker: Bill Glass
Topic: 2010 Solar Eclipse
I'd like to remind people about the September monthly meeting to be held on Thursday evening.? Unfortunately, both the Twins and Vikings have home games that same night.? Since I'm the main speaker for the meeting, I'd like to put in a little shameless plug for attending the meeting in the hope that I will get an audience of more than five people.? :-)
The main purpose of my program is to talk about the solar eclipse that I observed from Easter Island in July.? But I'll also be talking about the history of the island and the culture of the people that live there.? So if you'd like to see some pictures and learn about one of the most remote places on the planet, please come to the meeting.? Forget about the Twins and skip the Vikings for the evening (Grandpa Brett will probably only be in for 6 plays anyway).? I hope to see you there.
Bill
October General Meeting held on Thursday October 7th
Speaker: Evan Skillman
Topic: TBA
Meeting Location: Fairview Community Center
1910 County Road B West
Roseville, MN
MAS Member Orientation Meeting and Beginners Special Interest Group (B-SIG) Meetings
Saturday, September 18
Golden Valley Library, 830 Winnetka Ave. No., Golden Valley
Member Orientation - 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
Beginners SIG Meeting - 1:00 to 2:30 pm
B-SIG Topics: Astro League Observing Clubs, Starhopping
Additional info on the B-SIG Forum
News
PayPal Option for New or Renewing Members
New 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.
