MAS Happenings – March 17 2026

Happenings this Week

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

It would be fun if we could turn the whole sky into shimmering green curtains to celebrate. But since none of us can control solar weather (alas), I’ll settle for filling this week’s intro with a few other GREEN THINGS IN SPACE.

Auroras are the most familiar example, of course. But green also appears elsewhere in the universe. The heads of many comets (their coma) glow green when carbon-based molecules break down into diatomic carbon. And many planetary nebulae shine green as well, when their expanding shells of gas contain doubly ionized oxygen.

Beyond those, here are a few other awesomely named wonderfully green oddities that I’ve been learning about:

Green Peas!
These are mysterious, compact galaxies that appear round and emit light strongly at specific (green) wavelengths while forming stars at a prodigious rate. Around 40,000 have been discovered so far. This video explains more about their green color:
Discovery of Green Pea Galaxies by JWST May Solve the Mystery of Reionization
https://youtu.be/7u-MTgYSSI4?si=97RoMW26F0dkvS9d

Green Beans!
These extremely rare galaxies glow green across their entire diameter due to light “echoes” from a fading quasar. Only about 19 of these have been identified. More about them here:
Bizarre Green Galaxy Found, But Green Stars Are Impossible Though?
https://youtu.be/xCXY6OIeWt4?si=wYSEUIDWTHmvkYFK

Green Blobs!
These enormous Lyman-alpha blobs are gigantic nebulae in the early universe, far larger than our galaxy, associated with the formation of massive galaxies and galaxy clusters. Their radiation is ultraviolet, but redshift shifts it into wavelengths that appear green to us. Learn more here:
AoT ATX #46: Lyman-alpha blobs
https://youtu.be/Lmsqjd6MM2M?si=Kglt844ZHOSv6U-i

Long Lake Conservation Center (LLCC)
Member Observing Weekend
Friday, March 20 at 5:00 PM – Sunday, March 22 12:00 PM CT

Don’t miss this first opportunity of the observing season to visit LLCC. The skies are darker up there!

Our relationship with LLCC is unique, and these observing weekends are only available to members. Here are a few guidelines:

– Check the LLCC Discussion on the MAS Forum for event details and to register your attendance
– Indicate whether you will need lodging
– This is not an all-weather event and may be cancelled if cloudy

Click the button for full details:

Cherry Grove Observatory (CGO)
Messier Marathon 2026
Friday, March 20
6:00 PM CT

A Messier Marathon is an attempt to find as many Messier objects as possible during one night. The Messier catalogue was compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier during the late 18th century and consists of 110 relatively bright deep sky objects (galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters).

The first MAS Messier Marathon was held on March 13, 1999, and has been held annually at the Cherry Grove Observatory. The marathon is scheduled for the new moon weekend nearest the spring equinox with Saturday being the primary night, and Friday being the backup night.

As with all Cherry Grove events, the marathon is held only if the skies are clear and will be CANCELLED IF CLOUDY. See the MAS home page or Forum for the latest information regarding the star party status.

Link to this event on the MAS website:

Public Star Party
Cedar Creek
Saturday, March 21, 7:00 -10:00 pm CT

Come and learn more about the night skies. Each star party starts with a brief presentation about astronomy. A number of telescopes will be available for night sky viewing after the program, weather dependent. NOTE: You do not need a telescope to attend, and the the cost is free.

Visit the web site for more details:

Subject: Gemini in crisis

Dear MAS member:

            As editor of Gemini, I email all members of MAS about once a year, asking them to write an article for our newsletter. Usually, I receive enough articles to last a year. This past November, however, I sent a request for articles to all 700+ members of MAS and received a total of four articles and some promises. Several articles came in later. All of these have been published in the December and February issues of Gemini. As of now, I have two articles for the April issue and none for the rest of the year. We cannot have a newsletter unless members write articles for it.

I have noticed that a small percentage of MAS members write articles for Gemini. The vast majority, even if they have belonged for years, have never written an article for our newsletter.

            I am calling on all of you MAS members who have never submitted an article to consider writing an article for Gemini. The deadline for the April issue is March 10. If you cannot have an article for April, plan to write one for a future issue. Compose the article in Microsoft Word and send photographs, not embedded in the text but in a separate email attachment. Include a description or caption for each photograph.

                        This past year has been a difficult one for me because of my stroke on May 6. I have not always been able to keep the records straight; that is, who has sent an article and whether it has been published in Gemini. If you have written an article and have not yet seen it in any issue, please send me an email and tell me when it was sent. I may ask you to send it again, complete with photographs and captions. That will help me straighten out my records and make sure that all articles sent to me are published, as much as possible in the order in which they are received.

I hope the year 2026 will be the year that more MAS members decide to write articles for Gemini. Then my inbox will be full, and I will be a more content editor.

Thank you,

Father Brown

Gemini editor

padrebrown1934@gmail.com

Click the link below to email a Gemini submission:

Long Lake Conservation Center (LLCC) Book Donations

The MAS/LLCC Committee is collecting used astronomy books for children.

MAS partners with Long Lake Conservation Center to help support their summer Astronomy Camp for youth. One of our signature events is “book bingo”– just like regular bingo but the prizes are astronomy books. We play out the final round of bingo until everyone has won a book.

Children attending Astronomy Camp are ages 11 – 15. Ideal books are juvenile-level astronomy and space exploration books, sky observing guides (any level), and astronomy picture books (Hubble compilations, etc.). We’re especially looking for old copies of “Nightwatch” by Terence Dickinson.

Book donations can be brought to any monthly MAS meeting and given to MAS President Valts Treibergs.

The NCRAL “Eastern Iowa Cosmic Conference” hosted by Cedar Amateur Astronomers is scheduled for May 15-17 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Click the button below for full information and to register:

The March 14 Key Holder training at CGO was cancelled due to weather. It is currently rescheduled for Friday, April 3 with Saturday, April 4 as the backup date.

Mark your calendars for

International Ungulate Awareness Day

June 4, 2026!

International Ungulate Awareness Day – Wildlife Around the World

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

MAS on YouTube

The February Monthly Meeting is available in case you missed it. Follow the MAS YouTube channel to watch these meetings and other content you may have missed! Click the button below.

MAS Store

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

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

The Minnesota Astronomical Society welcomes your tax deductible donation to help fund the operation of our sites and our outreach programs. Use the QR code above or go to https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CBYSD2Z6339D4
to make a donation. Thank you.