Carnegie Science Center “Space Out! (Astronomy) Weekend ” March 19 & 20, 2016

Wagman Star Parties – Fri, April 15th & Sat, April 16th

April 13, 2016 by Heather Panek

Come see the evening planet, Jupiter. Catch one last glimpse of the Great Orion Nebula. It is all part of the show during the April Star Parties at Wagman Observatory sponsored by the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh. View the night sky with the Moon two days after First Quarter. Observe the Spring Constellations and Jupiter with its four Galilean satellites. This event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16 starting at 8:00 PM EDT.

The Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory is locatedin Deer Lakes Regional Park, Frazer Township, Pa., near the village of Russellton in northeastern Allegheny County and some 18 miles from Pittsburgh. This is an opportunity for amateur astronomers, students and the general public to observe the wonders of the Spring sky such as the galaxies in the Coma-Virgo Cluster, planetary nebulae and star clusters.

Cancellation of the Saturday, April 9, Mingo Star Party

April 9, 2016 by DeSantisK

The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh regrets to announce the Saturday, April 9,2016 Mingo Observatory Star Party is cancelled due to forecasted low temperatures and lower wind chill factors regardless of how much snow does or does not fall.

Please accept our invitation to try again next weekend at the Wagman Observatory Star Parties on Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, 2016 or at the next Mingo Observatory Star Parties on Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7, 2016.

Download 2016 Star Party Schedule Brochures

Wagman Star Party Schedule 2016

Mingo Star Party Schedule 2016

Respectfully submitted, Kathy DeSantis.

Room Change for Tonight’s AAAP Meeting

April 8, 2016 by DeSantisK

Room Change: The entire meeting will be held in the Buhl Planetarium!

So instead of gathering in the Bayer Science Stage Auditorium, we will gather in the Lobby before the meeting and head up to the planetarium at 7:30.

The April Meeting of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh will be held at 7:30 PM, April 8, 2016, at Carnegie Science Center, Buhl Planetarium and features the planetarium show, “The Beginner’s Guide to the Universe.” Gather promptly in the lobby area as we will travel together to the planetarium for the annual planetarium show. Once the show begins no late arrivals will be admitted. The doors will re-open after the show, as we will remain in the planetarium for the meeting.

April 8, 2016 AAAP Meeting, Carnegie Science Center, 7:30 PM

April 7, 2016 by DeSantisK

2016 AAAP Star Parties Begin In April

On 19 March 2016, 8.30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour sweeps across the globe, as people turn out their lights for one hour. Pittsburghers are called to turn off non-essential lighting for one hour beginning at 8:30 p.m. Earth Hour has become a worldwide call to “shine a light on climate action.” From astronomy there is shared interest in reduction of light pollution which also saves evergy. There is also interest to see if there is a noticeable difference in the sky during Earth Hour.

Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh is a strong supporter of dark sky conservation and encourages light pollution education. Light pollution not only takes away the stars and interfers with vision and sleep, it is also an economic drain. Please look ahead to International Dark Sky Week, April 4-10, 2016. For more information visit http://darksky.org/.