Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh

Your Bridge to the Stars

Solar Observing and Telescope Viewing at Carrie Furnaces, Steel to Sustainable Festival

Weather Cancellation – Tonight’s May15, 2016 Wagman Star Party

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Last updated 2016-05-14 12:01:09. No Image below? Read this. Not showing todays data? Clear your cache.
Near Deer Lakes Park, Russellton. Observatory of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh

There is now 100% that tonight’s SP is canceled. See yinz in June. The next good weather that we will see will probably be next weekend during Full Moon. Typical for our area. Except for that week or so in Mid-April, it’s been a lousy Spring. The Sky gods are probably balancing out the good observing weather in Jan, Feb and March.
 
Tom Reiland

Wagman Star Parties May 13 & 14, 2016

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Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh opens Wagman Observatory to the public Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14, 2016. No reservations. No charge. No limit to group size. Just show up. Please refer to the Wagman 2016 Star Party Schedule for details.  The Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory is located in Deer Lakes Regional Park, Frazer Township, Pa., near the village of Russellton in northeastern Allegheny County and some 18 miles from Pittsburgh. Observatory Phone 724-224-2510.

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Transit of Mercury May 9, 2016, Eastern Horizon

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Public Viewing of the Transit of Mercury at Mingo Observatory:

AAAP has announced safe public viewing through the Lunt solar telescope of the Mingo Observatory in the Washington Observer-Reporter beginning at approximately at 8 AM.  Astronomy club members arriving earlier who set up their telescopes on the hill will not have the orientation of the observatory building blocking the low eastern horizon and will get to view the transit from the start.

May 11, 1016 Update:Many AAAP members and members of the public enjoyed live views of the Transit of Mercury from our two observatories, Wagman and Mingo. Enjoy the Mercury Transit video from NASA’s SDO. It is the May 11, 2016 NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).

[Read more…] about Transit of Mercury May 9, 2016, Eastern Horizon

Mingo Star Parties May 6 & 7, 2016

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Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh opens Mingo Observatory to the public Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, 2016. No reservations. No charge. No limit to group size. Just show up. Please refer to the Mingo 2016 Star Party Schedule.  The Observatory is located in Mingo Creek County Park, Nottingham Township, and is 10 miles east of Washington PA. The park is located off Route 88 or Route 136 in the northeast section of Washington County. Inside the park, the observatory is at the end of Mansion Hill Ext. Road (across from the Henry Covered Bridge) on the top of the hill past Shelter 10. Observatory  Site: Lat: 40° 12’ 42” N Long: 80° 1’ 14” W Elevation: 1180 ft. (360 m). Observatory Phone 724-348-6150.

Lecture: Mars Interdisciplinary Studios Final Show (Mars Habitat)

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Monday, May 2, 2016 (7 PM)
Where: Carnegie Mellon University Studio for Creative Inquiry (CFA-111)
What: Mars Interdisciplinary Studios Final Show (Mars Habitat)

Join our interdisciplinary class of students, made up of engineers, architects, scientists, designers, computer science majors and creative technologists, as we explore a concept for an inflatable/deployable (semi)autonomous greenhouse for Mars. The two courses “Building an Atmosphere” and “Responsive Mobile Environments” deal with both the structures and systems needed to sustain life in an extreme alien environment while engaging also in broader cultural interactions.

Panel Talk – Designing for Mars with guests from NASA Johnson Space Center, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, and NASA Ames. Followed by a presentation and exhibit of student work. Refreshments provided. This event is free and open to the public. Please pass along the invitation. All are welcome!

More Info: http://cmu-mars-studio.com/

Solar Observing and Telescope Viewing at Carrie Furnaces, Steel to Sustainable Festival

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Enjoy solar observing  with AAAP at the Carrie Furnaces Steel to Sustainable Festival on Saturday, 7 PM,  April 23, 2016. See Rivers of Steel for ticket prices.

The Carrie Furnaces (40.4130° N, 79.8907° W) Steel to Sustainable Festival  includes a 100th year anniversary of the hard hat art show, three bands and many food trucks. It is a ticketed event and supports the Carrie Furnace National Monument, part of the National Parks Service. AAAP members will offer safe solar viewing through solar filtered telescopes. AAAP members volunteer need to register prior to the event in order to get their gate pass. Those AAAP members who have not yet indicated their intention, may request a volunteer gate pass to through comments on the website by Friday.

The Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7 are extremely rare examples of pre-WW II ironmaking. They tower 92 feet high and have brick lined walls of  2.5″ thick steel plate. From 1907 to 1978 they provided iron for the Homestead Mill  and will become one of the focal points of the proposed Homestead Works National Park.

This event is an opportunity for not only astronomy outreach to our guests but also an opportunity for AAAP members to see a part of local history and to support an event which in turn supports a National Monument. Our National Parks celebrate 100 years this year.

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Respectfully submitted, Kathy DeSantis.