MAS Happenings – January 21 2025

by | Jan 21, 2025 | MAS Happenings

Happenings this Week

* NCRAL Convention
* Become a MAS Presenter!
* Gemini Articles…always accepted, never too late!
* Visit YouTube to watch our January meetings
* Sneak Peek – CGO Dates 2025

NCRAL 2025 Convention
April 25-26, 2025
Marriot Southwest
5801 Opus Parkway,
 Minnetonka, MN
Presented by the NCRAL Convention Committee

Registration begins January 25, 2025.

Theme: “First Light – New Frontiers, New People“
This theme is to reflect the exciting advancements in astronomy and welcome new NCRAL members and other members who have not previously attended a conference.

Conference Schedule:
8:00 AM Business Meeting
-Coffee and donuts will be provided!
10:00 AM Morning Sessions
12:00 PM Lunch
-Box lunches will be provided but there are also restaurants nearby.
1:00 PM Afternoon Sessions
5:00 PM Group photo and social hour, followed by a buffet-style banquet and featured Keynote Speaker

Speakers Lineup:

  • John Rummel, Madison Astronomical Society, accomplished photographer – “Can the Milky Way Cast a Shadow?”
  • Bob King, Contributor, Sky and Telescope, blogger, author – “NASA’s Planned NEO Surveyor Hunts Down Killer Asteroids.”
  • Lawrence Rudnick, Professor Emeritus of Astrophysics University of Minnesota. – “Game Changers in the Radio Sky.”
  • Clem Pryke, Experimental Cosmologist and Educator, University of Minnesota – “Studying the Beginning of the Universe from the Bottom of the World.”
  • Mike Solontoi, Associate Professor of Physics, Monmouth College – “Seeing the Universe Through New Eyes – The Vera C. Rubin Observatory.”
  • Mike Benson, PhD and VP of R&D at Hormel Foods, accomplished astrophotographer, will discuss his experiences in astrophotography.
  • Evan Skillman, Distinguished Professor, University of Minnesota– “Using the Large Binocular Telescope to Measure the Primordial Helium Abundance.”

Our own Minnesota Astronomical Society (MAS) will be hosting NCRAL Conference attendees for a Friday night Star-B-Q at Eagle Lake Observatory on April 25. Guests can head to Eagle Lake to enjoy dinner, a tour of the observatory, and listen to a brief presentation by Greg Bragg, acknowledged camera and telescope insider, on “The State of the Astronomy Industry.”

Mariott Southwest rooms are available at the NCRAL rate and can be reserved by calling the Marriot directly at (952) 935-5500 and asking for the NCRAL Conference block. Direct questions to NCRALConference@gmail.com

For more information, click the link below:
NCRAL 2025
Or visit the NCRAL Conference Facebook page:
NCRAL 2025 on Facebook

Become a MAS Presenter!

We would like to enhance our monthly meetings and encourage our members to share your work and passion. Put together a 10-15 minute presentation about the astronomy topic that interests you – (and quite probably the rest of the MAS). Topics include – but are not limited to:

  • Observing campaigns
  • Astronomical objects
  • History topics
  • Adventures to dark skies and astronomical sites around the world
  • ATM projects – show & tell
  • Restoration projects
  • Outreach projects
  • Observing or Imaging techniques
  • Research topics
  • Software and telescope how-tos
  • Manned or robotic space missions
  • and even ‘Better Know a Constellation’

The presentation is best done live at the meeting but can be done through Zoom if you are joining remotely. If you have something to share, please send an email to the Programs Coordinator Ahmed Reda at programs@mnastro.org

The January deadline has passed…but you can still submit an article for an upcoming publication!

Anyone is invited and encouraged to submit material for publication in Gemini. Strong writing skills are not required – the editor will help with the mechanics of getting it printed – so don’t be shy!

Submitting an item or idea is easy. Just send an email to the Gemini editor to gemini@mnastro.org. Include your item with the e-mail, or describe your idea for the editor who will gladly work with you to get it published. Thank you for contributing to the Gemini newsletter!

MAS Monthly Meetings – January

The MAS Monthly Meeting for January is now on YouTube in case you were not able to attend. The BSIG presentation on auroras by Bob King is also available. Click below to view the video recordings:

MAS Meeting – Thursday, January 2, 2025
BSIG Winter Presentation – Auroras with Bob King

Observatory Training – Sneak Peek!

CGO Committee Chair, Alan Touchberry, is starting to release this year’s dates for CGO. Within our Online Communities, visit #cgo on Slack, or Cherry Grove Observatory Discussions in the MAS Forum, to see the first broadcast of that schedule for 2025. (We’ll continue to post those dates here as they become available in other formats.)

About the MAS Online Communities
For more information about our Online Communities, or for assistance with accessing those, click the button above!

Get Involved, Become a Member, Volunteer!

https://www.mnastro.org/about/beginners/
https://www.mnastro.org/membership/benefits/

MAS Store

Find MAS Logo apparel and items at the MAS Store by clicking the button below.

MAS Store

EMAIL UPDATES

Emails from MAS will be going out on Tuesday’s but only if there are announcements.  If you have something that needs sharing to all please email secretary@mnastro.org by Thursday/Friday for the following Tuesday notice.
Thank you  -Claire Weaverling, MAS Secretary
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