Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh

Your Bridge to the Stars

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AAAP 2015 Star Party Season Kick-off At Both Wagman and Mingo Observtories, March 27 and 28, 2015 and Earth Hour, March 28, 2015, 8:30 – 9:30 PM

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Tonight – March 28, 2015 – the waxing gibbous moon isn’t far from the very bright planet Jupiter on the sky’s dome. If you look carefully, you should also see the Gemini stars Castor and Pollux – noticeable for their brightness and nearness to each other – near the moon and Jupiter. Another bright star, Procyon, is also nearby. Just remember, Jupiter easily outshines all these stars. It’s the brightest object in the moon’s vicinity tonight.
Tonight – March 28, 2015 – the waxing gibbous moon isn’t far from the very bright planet Jupiter on the sky’s dome. If you look carefully, you should also see the Gemini stars Castor and Pollux – noticeable for their brightness and nearness to each other – near the moon and Jupiter. Another bright star, Procyon, is also nearby. Just remember, Jupiter easily outshines all these stars. It’s the brightest object in the moon’s vicinity tonight.

Friday, March 27, 2015, 4:00 PM Update

The Wagman Observatory Star Party scheduled for Friday, March 27, 2015 is CANCELLED due to conditions.

The Mingo Observatory Star Party is ON. Mingo planetarium can operate regardless of sky conditions.  Be aware [Read more…] about AAAP 2015 Star Party Season Kick-off At Both Wagman and Mingo Observtories, March 27 and 28, 2015 and Earth Hour, March 28, 2015, 8:30 – 9:30 PM

Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh 2015 Star Party Schedule

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The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh is pleased to invite you to the Wagman Observatory and to the Mingo Creek County Park Observatory for 2015 Star Party Season.

Date Mingo      Wagman
March 27, 28 Yes                                                      Yes
April 24, 25 Yes                                                       Yes
May 22, 23 Yes                                                       Yes
June 19, 20 Yes                                                       Yes
July 24, 25 Yes                                                       Yes
Aug 14, 15 10th Anniversary No star party
Aug 21, 22 No star party Yes
Sep 5  Dark Sky (late moonrise) Yes                                                       Yes
Sep 19 Yes                                                       Yes
Sep 27  Lunar Eclipse (Sunday night) Yes                                                       Yes
Oct 3  Dark Sky (late moonrise) Yes                                                       Yes
Oct 17 Yes                                                       Yes
Nov 7 No star party Mid-Autumn Star Party
Nov 14 Bundle-up Star Party No star party

[Read more…] about Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh 2015 Star Party Schedule

Rescheduled — Special Public – De-Light Pittsburgh – Astronomy Seminar – March 5 – Thaw Hall – U. of Pitt.

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(Diane Turnshek is still doing the Allegheny Observatory talk. Reservations needed: 412-321-2400).

De-Light Pittsburgh – Special Public Astronomy Seminar: Diane Turnshek (Physics, CMU)

New date: Thursday, March 5, 2015 7:00 pm [Read more…] about Rescheduled — Special Public – De-Light Pittsburgh – Astronomy Seminar – March 5 – Thaw Hall – U. of Pitt.

AAAP Congratulates Member Bill Snyder for Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day – M106

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M106 M106 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs. It lies some 25 million light-years from Earth. Some astronomers think emissions from M106 indicate a vast quantity of material is falling into a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core. (5.2-inch Thomas M. Back TMB 130 refractor, Apogee U8300 CCD camera, Hydrogen-alpha/LRGB image with exposures of 6, 7 2, 2, and 2 hours, respectively) Bill Snyder from Connellsville, Pennsylvania
M106 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs. It lies some 25 million light-years from Earth. Some astronomers think emissions from M106 indicate a vast quantity of material is falling into a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core. (5.2-inch Thomas M. Back TMB 130 refractor, Apogee U8300 CCD camera, Hydrogen-alpha/LRGB image with exposures of 6, 7 2, 2, and 2 hours, respectively)
-Bill Snyder from Connellsville, Pennsylvania

[Read more…] about AAAP Congratulates Member Bill Snyder for Astronomy Magazine Picture of the Day – M106

AAAP February Monthly Meeting, 7:30 PM Friday February 13, 2015 Carnegie Science Center, Bayer Science Stage

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The feature presentation of the February 13, 2015 monthly meeting is the annual planetarium show, Stars Over Pittsburgh. Members should convene at the Bayer Science Stage promptly at 7:30 pm, before heading up as a group to the Planetarium. [Read more…] about AAAP February Monthly Meeting, 7:30 PM Friday February 13, 2015 Carnegie Science Center, Bayer Science Stage