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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251206T130000
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SUMMARY:BSIG December 2025 Presentation - Featuring David Falkner
DESCRIPTION: The MAS invites everyone to the virtual Beginner’s Group Presentation using ZOOM. \nFeatured Speaker:   David Falkner – MAS Member and NASA AmbassadorTopic: Titan and the Dragonfly Mission \nSynopsis:  The presentation will focus on Titan\, Saturn’s largest moon\, and NASA’s ambitious Dragonfly mission to explore it. The presentation will begin with Titan’s discovery\, and what we learned through telescopic observations. I will then talk about the discoveries by Pioneer 11\, Voyager 1 and the Cassini/Huygens mission. I will talk briefly about Ingenuity\, the first successful extraterrestrial aircraft before talking about the Dragonfly spacecraft and its astrobiology mission. \n\nBiography:    Dave has been a life-long amateur astronomer. He first became interested in astronomy as a pre-teen when his father took him to a show at the Holcolmb Planetarium in Indianapolis. He became hooked and has had an interest in astronomy ever since.  After retiring from the US Navy\, Dave settled in Minnesota and became an active member of the Minnesota Astronomical Society (MAS). He has served as its President from 2011 – 2014\, 2019 – 2020\, and Secretary from 2023 – 2024. As a member of the MAS\, Dave enjoyed performing astronomical outreach often speaking to groups at libraries\, nature centers and schools.  Dave is a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador where he educates the public about space\, space exploration and NASA missions. Along with his outreach activities Dave has taught beginning Astronomy classes at a local community college and has published three books. \n\n \nThis meeting will be held online using Zoom. If you would like to join us you will need use the following Zoom link. \nZoom URL:      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85959083361?pwd=iPlZMbb9tz6MvMCM6I83nsm3Bms8uF.1Meeting ID:      859 5908 3361Passcode:        957207 \n\nWe will open up this link about 10 minutes before the event starts. \n\nYou can probably hear best with a headset but your computer’s speaker and microphone will also work. \nDial-in Phone Number \n+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) \nIn order to ensure the most success we are asking everyone to follow a couple of rules: \n1. Don’t turn on your camera – it sucks up bandwidth and we really don’t need to see you.2. Keep your microphone muted until you are prompted during a question and answer session during the presentation. This will cut down background noise substantially.3. You can request to ask a question in the chat area in Zoom and wait to be prompted by the moderator. \nWe hope you can join us.Clear skies! \nSuresh SreenivasanMAS Beginner’s Coordinator
URL:https://www.mnastro.org/event/bsig-december-2025-presentation-featuring-david-falkner/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:BSIG,BSIG Virtual Presentation,public
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/zoom-logo.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260124T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260124T150000
DTSTAMP:20260430T083655
CREATED:20251202T184514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T024514Z
UID:10000477-1769259600-1769266800@www.mnastro.org
SUMMARY:BSIG January 2026 Presentation - Featuring Claire Weaverling
DESCRIPTION: The MAS invites everyone to the virtual Beginner’s Group Presentation using ZOOM. \nFeatured Speaker:   Claire WeaverlingTopic: Sky Sampler – Tasty Targets for New Observers \nSynopsis:  Seen the Ring Nebula and Hercules Cluster a few too many times? This session will sample about 20 beginner-friendly observing targets that are often overlooked or overshadowed. Every object on the list earned a “wow\,” “amazing\,” or “beautiful” in my observing notes when I was starting out. \n\nBiography:    Claire Weaverling is a member and current Secretary of the MAS. She has spent over a decade visually observing with Dobsonians\, happily (and occasionally stubbornly) star-hopping her way to faint fuzzies. \n\n \nThis meeting will be held online using Zoom. If you would like to join us you will need use the following Zoom link. \nZoom URL:      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89888620896?pwd=QrbSJ93l6p6KMzOCu8SBTM8Hwx73yF.1Meeting ID:    898 8862 0896Passcode:      780811 \n\nWe will open up this link about 10 minutes before the event starts. \n\nYou can probably hear best with a headset but your computer’s speaker and microphone will also work. \nDial-in Phone Number \n+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) \nIn order to ensure the most success we are asking everyone to follow a couple of rules: \n1. Don’t turn on your camera – it sucks up bandwidth and we really don’t need to see you.2. Keep your microphone muted until you are prompted during a question and answer session during the presentation. This will cut down background noise substantially.3. You can request to ask a question in the chat area in Zoom and wait to be prompted by the moderator. \nWe hope you can join us.Clear skies! \nSuresh SreenivasanMAS Beginner’s Coordinator
URL:https://www.mnastro.org/event/bsig-january-2026-presentation/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:BSIG,BSIG Virtual Presentation,public
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/zoom-logo.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T150000
DTSTAMP:20260430T083655
CREATED:20251202T184936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T154735Z
UID:10000478-1771678800-1771686000@www.mnastro.org
SUMMARY:BSIG February 2026 Presentation - Featuring Suresh Sreenivasan
DESCRIPTION: The MAS invites everyone to the virtual Beginner’s Group Presentation using ZOOM. \nFeatured Speaker:   Suresh SreenivasanTopic: All About Telescopes \n\nSynopsis: \nHave you been considering getting your first telescope? Or maybe you’re thinking about upgrading to something bigger & better? If so\, this is the presentation for you! We’ll review the various types of telescopes most visual observers use\, including refractors\, reflectors and catadioptrics. We’ll go the optical benefits of each type\, and review other factors\, such as portability and cost\, to help you decide what you really want in your next telescope. We’ll also cover the various types of mounts and touch upon the various telescopic accessories that can make your observing more enjoyable. \nBiography: \nI have been an amateur astronomer for 41 years and completed the Messier and Herschel 1 lists while I was in college in Illinois. After 35 years as a visual observer\, I started migrating over to imaging. But I still enjoy observing\, particularly with my 12″ and 16″ Dobsonian telescopes. As a visual observer\, I love viewing solar system objects\, such as the Sun\, planets and comets\, as well as deep-sky objects such as galaxies\, star clusters and nebulae. I also dabble (poorly) in stellar spectroscopy. I have been the MAS BSIG coordinator since 2016 and really enjoy helping beginners of all ages make their initial forays into astronomy. \n\n \nThis meeting will be held online using Zoom. If you would like to join us you will need use the following Zoom link. \nZoom URL:      https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81882145483?pwd=ivtaeccqiRWEzOsmY6oJo6tddOBPse.1Meeting ID:      818 8214 5483Passcode:        676341 \n\nWe will open up this link about 10 minutes before the event starts. \n\nYou can probably hear best with a headset but your computer’s speaker and microphone will also work. \nDial-in Phone Number \n+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) \nIn order to ensure the most success we are asking everyone to follow a couple of rules: \n1. Don’t turn on your camera – it sucks up bandwidth and we really don’t need to see you.2. Keep your microphone muted until you are prompted during a question and answer session during the presentation. This will cut down background noise substantially.3. You can request to ask a question in the chat area in Zoom and wait to be prompted by the moderator. \nWe hope you can join us.Clear skies! \nSuresh SreenivasanMAS Beginner’s Coordinator
URL:https://www.mnastro.org/event/bsig-february-2026-presentation/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:BSIG,BSIG Virtual Presentation,public
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/zoom-logo.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260328T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260328T150000
DTSTAMP:20260430T083655
CREATED:20251202T185339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T131434Z
UID:10000479-1774702800-1774710000@www.mnastro.org
SUMMARY:BSIG March 2026 Presentation - Featuring Ahmed Reda - CANCELLED
DESCRIPTION:Unfortunately we have to cancel this presentation – but we should add it to the next fall/winter BSIG schedule – stay tuned. \nSuresh SreenivasanMAS Beginner’s Coordinator
URL:https://www.mnastro.org/event/bsig-march-2026-presentation/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:BSIG,BSIG Virtual Presentation,public
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/zoom-logo.jpg
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