Please join the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh on Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20, 2015 at the Wagman Observatory and the Mingo Observatory as we open our buildings and grounds to the the public for June Star Parties. Please check here for updates as announced. Events are conditions permitting.
Note from Wagman Observatory, 4PM, Friday June 19, 2015:
Note: Mingo Observatory will be in operation using the Haddad Planetarium regardless of the cloud cover. However, if attendance is lacking the facility may close earlier. Mingo Phone: 724-348-6150 .
Planets Jupiter and Venus will be at close conjunction. Don’t miss the jaw dropiing encouter through late June and early July. More information:Jaw-dropping Jupiter – Venus Encounter
9:30 PM the Western sky will reveal planets Jupiter and Venus above the setting Moon, all in Cancer. The Moon itself 3 or 4 nights after New Moon, will be but a slim cresent, with 12 % illumination. To the South, Saturn will hang low in the sky, in Libra. Stellarium screen capture.
Wagman Observatory
225 Kurn Road Tarentum, PA 15084 ~ 724-224-2510 ~ Latitude 40.627 degrees Longitude -79.813 degrees
Wagman Star Parties start Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20 at 8:55 p.m. at the Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory in Deer Lakes Regional Park, Frazer Township, Pa., near the village of Russellton in northeastern Allegheny County and some 18 miles from Pittsburgh.
Wagman Observatory ISS an Iridium Flare Times as they become available: http://www.heavens-above.com/?lat=40.626&lng=-79.82925&alt=100&loc=Nicholas+E.+Wagman+Observatory&TZ=EST
No ISS Visible Pass for Wagman on Friday. one on Saturday at 21:58:54/
| 20 Jun | -1.3 | 21:54:01 | 10° | W | 21:56:30 | 20° | SW | 21:58:54 | 10° | S | visible |
| Jun 19, 03:01:18 | -7.8 | 39° | 146° (SSE) | Iridium 54 | 2 km (W) | -7.9 | -22°  |
| Jun 19, 04:38:29 | -1.3 | 29° | 103° (ESE) | Iridium 77 | 49 km (W) | -7.0 | -11° |
| Jun 19, 21:35:22 | -5.6 | 18° | 342° (NNW) | Iridium 47 | 9 km (W) | -5.8 | -7° |
| Jun 19, 22:36:10 | 0.2 | 11° | 285° (WNW) | Iridium 76 | 237 km (E) | -5.5 | -15° |
| Jun 19, 23:42:55 | -4.6 | 30° | 239° (WSW) | Iridium 60 | 15 km (W) | -7.4 | -22° |
| Jun 20, 02:55:12 | -3.4 | 39° | 148° (SSE) | Iridium 83 | 15 km (E) | -7.9 | -22° |
| Jun 20, 04:32:22 | -3.4 | 28° | 104° (ESE) | Iridium 82 | 24 km (E) | -6.9 | -12° |
| Jun 20, 21:29:07 | -5.2 | 19° | 342° (NNW) | Iridium 11 | 11 km (W) | -5.9 | -6° |
| Jun 20, 23:36:53 | -7.2 | 31° | 240° (WSW) | Iridium 45 | 10 km (E) | -7.4 | -22° |
Mingo Observatory
1 Shelter 10 Road Finleyville, PA 15332 ~ 724-348-6150 ~ This address does not lend to mapping. Please use the GPS Coordinates. GPS coordinates are Latitude 40*:12′:42″ Longitude 80*:01′:14″ or Latitude 40.211degrees, Longitude -80.020 degrees. Declination -9 degrees. For directions and information about the Mingo Observatory visit: https://wp.me/P46Qqk-18 .
Mingo Observatory will open Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20 for solar viewing and evening star party. View the Sun early with our 4″ Lunt Solar Telescope and then see wonders of the night sky through our 24 inch Ritchey-Chretien Reflector and 10 inch Refractor telescopes, sky conditions permitting.
Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20, 2015 Mingo Observatory will open at 5:30 PM for Solar Observing and at 7:00 PM for viewing the Evening Sky. Open Rain or shine, cloudy or clear!
Planetarium Schedule: 7:00 PM: Sky Show, 8:00 PM: Program: How Astronomers Determine Time, Ken Kobus 9:00 PM: Sky Show, 10:00 PM: Program How Astronomers Determine Time, Ken Kobus.
Mingo Observatory ISS an Iridium Flare Times as they become available: http://www.heavens-above.com/?lat=40.211&lng=-80.019&loc=Mingo+Creek+Park+Observatory&alt=0&tz=EST
| ISS – Visible Passes |
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 19 Jun | -0.7 | 22:49:08 | 10° | WSW | 22:49:54 | 11° | SW | 22:50:25 | 10° | SW | visible |
| 20 Jun | -1.4 | 21:54:00 | 10° | W | 21:56:33 | 21° | SW | 21:59:02 | 10° | S | visible |
| Jun 19, 03:01:08 | -4.2 | 38° | 146° (SE) | Iridium 54 | 12 km (E) | -7.8 | -22° |
| Jun 19, 04:38:20 | -2.7 | 29° | 103° (ESE) | Iridium 77 | 33 km (W) | -6.9 | -12° |
| Jun 19, 21:35:15 | -5.8 | 18° | 342° (NNW) | Iridium 47 | 2 km (W) | -5.8 | -7° |
| Jun 19, 22:36:01 | 0.4 | 11° | 284° (WNW) | Iridium 76 | 255 km (E) | -5.5 | -16° |
| Jun 19, 23:42:47 | -7.3 | 30° | 239° (WSW) | Iridium 60 | 5 km (E) | -7.4 | -22° |
| Jun 20, 04:32:13 | -1.8 | 27° | 104° (ESE) | Iridium 82 | 41 km (E) | -6.9 | -12° |
| Jun 20, 21:29:00 | -5.8 | 19° | 342° (NNW) | Iridium 11 | 4 km (W) | -5.9 | -6° |
| Jun 20, 23:36:45 | -3.0 | 31° | 239° (WSW) | Iridium 45 | 30 km (E) | -7.4 | -22° |
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 19 Jun | ? | 21:24:30 | 10° | WSW | 21:27:04 | 38° | SSE | 21:29:38 | 10° | E | visible |
| 19 Jun | ? | 22:59:46 | 10° | W | 23:01:13 | 26° | WSW | 23:01:13 | 26° | WSW | visible |
| 20 Jun | ? | 21:37:37 | 10° | WSW | 21:40:16 | 50° | S | 21:42:55 | 10° | E | visible |
| 20 Jun | ? | 23:13:04 | 10° | W | 23:13:48 | 16° | WSW | 23:13:48 | 16° | WSW | visible |
Stars “come out” after sunlight fades from view. The sun does not set this weekend until approximately 8:53 PM and darkness does not descend until approximately one hour later. Please use parking lights only when you drive through the Wagman gate or pass Shelter 10 approaching Mingo Observatory. Drive very slowly and cautiously. There is no alcohol or tobacco permitted on our observatory grounds. We suggest you bring bottled water. There is no running water on either site. There are park style restroom facilities. Dress warmly as springtime nights can be quite chilly afer the sun goes down.
The summer solstice comes on June 21, 2015 at 16:38 UTC. For North American time zones, that places the solstice at 12:38 p.m. EDT, June 21, 2015, make these June Star Parties the final nights of Spring. The solstice brings the northernmost sun for the year, as seen from around the globe.
Rise & Set Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 2015-06-19
http://www.almanac.com/astronomy/rise/PA/Pittsburgh/2015-06-19
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All times are Eastern Daylight Time at sea level.
“Dawn Breaks” and “Darkness Descends” values are based on astronomical twilight (not civil twilight).
Rise & Set Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 2015-06-2o
http://www.almanac.com/astronomy/rise/PA/Pittsburgh/2015-06-20
| Body | Dawn Breaks |
Rises | Sets | Dark Descends |
Day Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3:44 A.M. | 5:49 A.M. | 8:53 P.M. | 10:58 P.M. | 15:03 |
| Moon | 9:54 A.M. | 11:38 P.M. | |||
| Mercury | 4:45 A.M. | 6:57 P.M. | |||
| Venus | 9:23 A.M. | 11:40 P.M. | |||
| Mars | 5:42 A.M. | 8:47 P.M. | |||
| Jupiter | 9:57 A.M. | 11:52 P.M. | |||
| Saturn | 6:17 P.M. | 4:18 A.M. | |||
| Uranus | 2:14 A.M. | 3:08 P.M. | |||
| Neptune | 12:41 A.M. | 11:46 A.M. | |||
| Pluto | 9:38 P.M. | 7:18 A.M. |
All times are Eastern Daylight Time at sea level.
“Dawn Breaks” and “Darkness Descends” values are based on astronomical twilight (not civil twilight).