Upcoming Public September 2012 Events with PAS

Upcoming PAS Events for Sept 2012

The September 2012 PAStimes Newsletter is ready for download. Please help yourself to a copy. http://www.pasaz.org/index.php?pageid=newsletter

Sep 20: FREE Telescope Workshop at PVCC Main Campus 7pm to 10pm. RSVP is required with Terri. When you RSVP, leave name, number in your party & type of scope you need help with. http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=687&day=2012-9-20&c=1 There is also a public Star Party with this event.

Sep 22: International Observe the Moon Night at Mike's home in Carefree. RSVP is with Mike. Details are on the site. Everyone Welcome. Potluck – bring food and drink to share. Potluck at 4pm, Star Party starts at 6:30pm. http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=828&day=2012-9-22

Sep 30: Free Telescope Workshop at Bookmans 19^th Ave & Northern 3:30pm to 5:30pm. RSVP required with Terri. When you RSVP, leave your name, number in party, type of scope you need help with. We meet in the Musical Instrument section of Bookmans. http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=673&day=2012-9-30&c=1

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Explosion on Jupiter

Space Weather News for Sept. 11, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

EXPLOSION ON JUPITER: Amateur astronomers are reporting a bright fireball on Jupiter--apparently the result of a small asteroid hitting the planet during the early hours of Sept. 10th.  As the fireball fades, attention turns to possible debris around the impact site.  Observers will be monitoring the region in the nights ahead to see what surfaces.  Checkhttp://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Curiosity Rover Landing Aug 5, 2012

Celebrate the Landing of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover!

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover will be landing in Gale Crater on Mars at 10:31pm PT / 11:31pm MT on August 5 / 12:31am CT / 1:31am ET on August 6! 

Curiosity is a rover that will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life. In other words, its mission is to determine the planet's "habitability."  Determining past habitability on Mars gives NASA and the scientific community a better understanding of whether life could have existed on the red planet and, if it could have existed, an idea of where to look for it in the future.  The Mars Science Laboratory rover will act as a robot geologist while it is on the surface of Mars.  The science instruments it carries are state-of-the-art tools for acquiring information about the geology, atmosphere, environmental conditions, and potential biosignatures on Mars.  The one-ton MINI-Cooper-sized vehicle is the largest rover ever sent to land on the surface of another planet.

There are a number of organizations hosting landing events; a map of locations is available at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/eventlocations/index.html .  For those of you in the Houston area, the Lunar and Planetary Institute is hosting a free public event with hands-on activities, lectures, and more; information is at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/space_days/ and a flyer is at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/space_days/flyers/SkyFest_Flyer_2012_08_001.pdf

Join us Sunday, August 5 - Monday August 6

8:00pm - 2:00am

Explorers of all ages are invited to join us for a pajama party with hands-on activities, scientist presentations, and viewing through telescopes (weather permitting) to watch the landing of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover on the red planet!

Get resources to help you celebrate this important mission milestone from these NASA websites:

• http://www.nasa.gov/mars.  Resources, recent and archived videos, updates and news, images, podcasts, and more can all be found here!

• MSL pages: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl.  Get the latest about the rover and its onboard laboratory through news, images, and videos.  Find out where the rover is now, and follow Curiosity on Twitter and Facebook!

• Solar System Exploration’s Curiosity: A Big Rover on a Bold Mission website: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/msl_landing.cfm.  Videos, press kits and fact sheets, links to relevant Mars and NASA websites, social media, images, interactives, and resources for teachers and students are all available through this page.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Space Weather News for July 28, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR FLARES: New sunspot AR1532 is crackling with M-class solar flares, including a brief but intense M6-flare on July 28th.  So far none of the eruptions has been Earth-directed, but this could change in the days ahead as the active region turns toward our planet. Check http://spaceweather.com for updates.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

June 28 Event is Canceled

Happy Thursday to everyone. Due to lack of interest, the June 28 event at PVCC is canceled. See you at the next event! Have a great June!

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Space Weather News for June 14, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

DOUBLE CME:  Active sunspot AR1504 is facing Earth and hurling coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in our direction.  A fast-moving CME that left the sun on June 14th is expected to scoop up another CME already en route and deliver a double-blow to Earth's magnetic field on June 16th.  Weak-to-moderategeomagnetic storms are possible when the clouds arrive.  Check http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Space Weather News for June 7, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

HUBBLE TRANSIT OF VENUS:  Transits of Venus are rare.  Transits of Venus with the Hubble Space Telescope alongside are unprecedented.  Astrophotographer Thierry Legault has captured a historic photo of Hubble crossing the face of the sun right beside the inky-black disk of Venus.  It is highlighted on today's edition ofhttp://spaceweather.com. 

The world's largest collection of Venus Transit images may be found in Space Weather's new realtime photo gallery:  http://spaceweather.com/gallery/

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Space Weather News for May 24, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

DRAGON RENDEZVOUS: As SpaceX's Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station for a historic docking on May 25th, amateur astronomers have been taking pictures of the two spaceships converging.  Their photos and more information about the Dragon-ISS rendezvous are highlighted on today's edition ofhttp://spaceweather.com

Readers, are you ready to see the Dragon? Download Spaceweather's Satellite Tracker for a schedule of flybys over your location: http://simpleflybys.com

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

May 20 Solar Eclipse & June 5 Venus Transit

Space Weather News for May 18, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE: On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, producing a "ring of fire" solar eclipse visible across the Pacific side of Earth from China to the United States. Observing tips, visibility maps, and links to live webcasts may be found at http://spaceweather.com. 

GET READY FOR THE TRANSIT OF VENUS:  Explore Scientific's White Light Solar Observing System offers a great view of sunspots, eclipses, and once-in-a-lifetime planetary transits.  It's available now in the Space Weather Store:http://www.shopspaceweather.com/

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sunspots

Space Weather News for May 9, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

RADIO-ACTIVE SUNSPOT: Huge sunspot AR1476 is crackling with M-class solar flares and appears to be on the verge of producing something even stronger. The sunspot's 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field harbors energy for X-class flares, the most powerful kind.  Radio operators are recording strong bursts of shortwave static from the sunspot as it turns toward Earth. Visit http://spaceweather.com for sample recordings and forecasts.

SUNSPOT TELESCOPE: AR1476 looks magnificent through a properly-filtered telescope. Explore Scientific's White Light Solar Observing System is perfect for sunspot watching, and it's available now in the Space Weather Store:http://www.shopspaceweather.com/explore-scientific-white-light-solar-observer-system.aspx

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society