Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh

Your Bridge to the Stars

DeSantisK

Allegheny Observatory Open House, Friday, October 7, 2016

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Allegheny Observatory Source: http://www.pitt.edu/~aobsvtry/

Allegheny Observatory:  Source: http://www.pitt.edu/~aobsvtry/

It is Annual Open House Tour time at Allegheny Observatory!

The tour is free and open to the public but reservations are required and limited in number. Members of the public who would like to attend the open house should telephone the observatory at 412-321-2400 between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Monday through Friday.

AAAP members who would like to volunteer should email  Lou Coban as outlined in AAAP’s September Guide Star Newsletter. The AAAP has been helping out at the Allegheny Observatory Open House for at least half a century. Our members  keep that tradition going by showing a strong by offering to set up scopes on the observatory’s front lawn and in other capacities.

The Allegheny Observatory, founded on February 15, 1859, is one of the world’s major astronomical research institutions.  It is four miles north of the Golden Triangle (downtown Pittsburgh) atop Observatory Hill in Riverview Park. AO is part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh , eight miles away in Oakland. Originally dedicated to general public education,  by 1867 the facility was [Read more…] about Allegheny Observatory Open House, Friday, October 7, 2016

AAAP September 9, 2016 Monthly Meeting, 7:30 PM, Bayer Science Stage, Carnegie Science Center

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Meeting Update:

Thank you to Astrobotic Technology and their Public Relations and Customer Care Coordinator Mandy Fleeger and Senior Electronic Engineer John Branthoover and the 28 Members and 3 Guests who attended the AAAP September Meeting! Not bad attendance considering the Liberty Bridge was closed. Mandy and John informed us on Astrobotic Technology,  the premier private space technology corporation in the world, and is it based here in Pittsburgh! John’s talk was fascinating with still images and video showing robots fit for harshest terrains and conditions, flying autonomous crafts capable of LIDAR informed decision making for landing site selection and independent landing, drones in lava tubes, etc. Astrobotic is the only firm to win all three Google Milestone Prizes. Mr. Branthooler designed the camera which won Astrobotic’s Google Milestone Imaging Prize.  In contention for the Google Lunar X Prize, Astrobotic will launch to the Moon no later than the end of 2017. In the meantime they are partnered with Airbus and DHL and continue with each additional  freight contract to increase the profitability of the mission. We have special announcement for AAAP members who attended the meeting as well as those who missed it. Let this announce to our Members Only we are invited to a private tour.  If you are interested in one of the proposed tours, date/time to be determined, please send and email to VicePresidentAT3ap.org with “A Private Tour” in the header stating your  preference to day or evening along with your full name as registered on the AAAP Membership List, email address and phone number. A $5 across the dues increase will occur January 1, 2017. It does not apply to Student Memberships. Early bird 2017 dues paying now, prior to January 1 avoids the increase. AAAP is Participating in Washington Gives Day, Tuesday September 13, 2016. Please see the calendar for upcoming observatory star parties and off-site observing events. Best Regards.  Kathy D. ,  AAAP Vice President

AAAP Logo - 0314 x 0314 - photo white on black - rev 2

 

[Read more…] about AAAP September 9, 2016 Monthly Meeting, 7:30 PM, Bayer Science Stage, Carnegie Science Center

WCCF Gives Day September 13, 2016

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Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh

wccf-gives-small

WCCF Gives 2016 – Tuesday, September 13

Give Online beginning at 8 a.m. on September 13 to 8 p. m. September 13,

or by Check before September 13 (must be in hands of WCCF by 8 PM, September 13).

Please click here to be taken to the donation “button,” which will be “active” on September 13, 2016.

Last year WCCF Gives Day raised over $300 for the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh.  

WCCF Gives is a one-day event, in which each donation you make to your favorite Washington County non-profit via www.wccfgives.org or by check will be increased by a percentage of a bonus pool estimated to be at least $100,000.

Donations made to  the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh  through the Washington County Community Foundation’s Washington Gives Day on Tuesday, September 13, 2016, online that day or by check anytime before that day will be matched from a 100,000 donor pool. All donations will be used to further enhance our educational programs and outreach. [Read more…] about WCCF Gives Day September 13, 2016

Amazon Smile: You Shop, Amazon Gives to AAAP

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Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh is Participating in Amazon Smile. "AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. " From http://smile.amazon.com/ .
Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh is participating in Amazon Smile. “Amazon Smile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. ” From http://smile.amazon.com/ .

Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. A simple designation of Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh as your favorite charity lets you shop while Amazon gives and AAAP benefits. Thank you!

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Respectfully submitted, Kathy DeSantis.

Planetary Nebula Abell 31 in Cancer, by Chuck Manges, Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day

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Planetary nebula Abell 31 in Cancer, by Chuck Manges from Hooversville, Pennsylvania, Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day August 30, 2016. http://www.astronomy.com/photos
Planetary nebula Abell 31 in Cancer, by Chuck Manges from Hooversville, Pennsylvania, Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day August 30, 2016. http://www.astronomy.com/photos

Congratulations to AAAPer Chuck Manges!

Planetary nebula Abell 31 in Cancer  image is chosen as Astronomy Magazine August 30, 2016 Picture of the Day! http://www.astronomy.com/photos

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Respectfully submitted, Kathy DeSantis.

Rho Ophiuchi Complex, by Chuck Manges, Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day

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The Rho Ophiuchi complex Chuck Manges from Hooversville, Pennsylvania, Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day August 12, 2016
The Rho Ophiuchi complex, by Chuck Manges from Hooversville, Pennsylvania, Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day August 12, 2016. http://www.astronomy.com/photos

 

Congratulations to AAAPer Chuck Manges!

Chuck’s  Rho Ophiuchi complex image is chosen as Astronomy Magazine August 12, 2016 Picture of the Day! http://www.astronomy.com/photos

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Respectfully submitted, Kathy DeSantis.