BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Minnesota Astronomical Society - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Minnesota Astronomical Society X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.mnastro.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Minnesota Astronomical Society REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20240310T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20241103T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20250309T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20251102T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20260308T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20261101T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20270314T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20271107T070000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260328T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260328T150000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 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 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260221T150000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 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 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260124T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260124T150000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 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 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251215T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251215T200000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 CREATED:20251202T172426Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251202T174310Z UID:10000476-1765825200-1765828800@www.mnastro.org SUMMARY:LLCC Open Committee Meeting 2025 DESCRIPTION:The LLCC Committee is hosting its 2025 Open Committee Meeting\, per the MAS Guidelines on Standing Committees.\nMAS members and guests can join the meeting via Zoom.  We are looking for feedback on NNSF and other events\, as well as our scheduled weekend observing sessions. \nShare your thoughts and ideas\, so that we can keep LLCC as our premier dark-sky observing site.  Join us! \nZoom link: \nhttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/83303907237?pwd=zR6BE3tfg3eviMzt4Vd6p3DscRbK4q.1 URL:https://www.mnastro.org/event/llcc-open-committee-meeting-2025/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Open Committee Meeting ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20240830-20231313-drone-daytime-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251206T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251206T150000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 CREATED:20251031T015046Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T155217Z UID:10000474-1765026000-1765033200@www.mnastro.org 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 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251106T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251106T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 CREATED:20250127T210003Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251031T014458Z UID:10000405-1762455600-1762462800@www.mnastro.org SUMMARY:2025 MAS Monthly Meeting - Featured Speaker: Michael Busch (SETI Institute) - ZOOM ONLY DESCRIPTION:NOTICE: The Aŋpétu Téča Education Center is unavailable for the MAS monthly meeting in November 2025\, so we will host an online meeting with ZOOM only. \nMAS meetings are free and open to the public. JOIN US! \nFeatured Speaker: Michael Busch\, PhD (SETI Institue)\nTopic: Small Objects In The Solar System \nThe solar system contains several populations of small objects\, from near-Earth objects to the Oort cloud. I will review these objects and describe how they differ from the planets and their satellites. I will focus on near-Earth objects in particular\, because they are accessible targets for spacecraft missions as well as sometimes representing a hazard to Earth. \nMeeting Location:Online with ZOOM only! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The online meetings will be recorded on ZOOM\, and post-edited for publication after a few days on the MAS YouTube Channel. \nThis meeting will be held only online using Zoom using the following URL: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88133515860?pwd=zbn3fz7VbRN0xWfV20w7XhKUTpWrE5.1 \nYou can probably hear best with a headset but your computer’s speaker and microphone will also work. \nDialing-in with a phone: \n\nMeeting ID:  881 3351 5860\nPasscode: 415362\nNumber: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)\n\nIn order to ensure the most success we are asking everyone to follow a couple of rules: \n\nDon’t turn on your camera – it sucks up bandwidth and we really don’t need to see you.\nKeep your microphone muted until you are prompted during a question and answer session during the presentation. This will cut down background noise substantially.\nYou can request to ask a question in the chat area of the Meet and wait to be prompted by the moderator.\n\nWe hope you can join us.Clear skies! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Fill out this form to be added to out ‘Weekly Happenings’ email newsletter!\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n\n\n\n Your name:\n \n\n Your email: URL:https://www.mnastro.org/event/2025-mas-monthly-meeting-12/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:public ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/zoom-logo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250412T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250412T150000 DTSTAMP:20260417T045433 CREATED:20250215T211641Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T014140Z UID:10000467-1744462800-1744470000@www.mnastro.org SUMMARY:BSIG Winter Presentation - AL Programs - Featuring Jerry Jones DESCRIPTION: The MAS invites everyone to the virtual Beginner’s Group Presentation using ZOOM. \nFeatured Speaker:   Jerry Jones – MAS Astronomical League CoordinatorTopic: AL Observing Programs \nSynopsis: \nTBD\n \nThis meeting will be held online using Zoom. If you would like to join us you will need use the following URL: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88390582049?pwd=6D2UT5SN6wQjMy4PmQiaiub2rzi9dE.1 \n\nMeeting ID:      883 9058 2049Passcode:          289532 \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-winter-presentation-al-programs-featuring-jerry-jones/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:BSIG,BSIG Virtual Presentation,public ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.mnastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/zoom-logo.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR