SAS Activities

Moderator: Mary Anderson

2017 Total Solar Eclipse

On August 21st, 2017, North America will witness one of the greatest eclipses in history. The path of totality will sweep across the US from coast to coast. Every state, including Hawaii and Alaska, will experience at least a partial eclipse. Those lucky enough to be in the 70 mile wide path of totality will experience up to 2 minutes and 40 seconds of darkness while the moon blocks the light of the sun.

Seattle, WA sits near the path of totality and will experience a 92% partial eclipse. As one of the largest astronomy clubs in the region, the Seattle Astronomical Society is bursting with energy to share the excitement of this phenomenon. This page was created as a resource for safe viewing.

_{Artwork courtesy of Dr. Tyler Nordgren. This and many other posters may be purchased at www.tyler.nordgren.com.}

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Astrophotography Contest

Each quarter the Seattle Astronomical Society highlights an especially wonderful photo submitted by one of our members.

Each photo is displayed on the SAS Facebook page, where votes are submitted by simply "Like"ing the photo. Voting is open to both members and the public. The entry with the most votes/likes by the deadline will be our Facebook and Twitter cover photos for the whole season, as well as permanently memorialized here on the SAS webpage. Send any questions (or your entry - preferably in .jpg format) to contest@seattleastro.org.

Moderator: Matt Dahl

Astrophotography SIG

This group explores all types of digital cameras and astrophotography, including capturing star trails, starscapes, constellations, the moon, planets, and deep sky objects.

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Banquet

Every year SAS holds its annual banquet as a means for members to come together and celebrate the past year of activities. We also have a noted contributor to astronomy give us a presentation. We hope you can join us in January for a bit of fun and sharing.

Moderator: Rayna C.T. Bauer

General Meetings

SAS holds monthly meetings on the UW campus.

Moderator: Russell Coad

Goldendale Star Party

As is becoming an SAS tradition, we are having two Goldendale Star Parties in 2020: May 16 - May 21 and September 16 - September 20.

Brooks Memorial State Park is an incredibly dark site which offers an excellent opportunity for those of you who were unable to attend the recent Table Mountain Star Party or others in the area. If you've never visited a dark sky site for a star party, you'll be amazed.

_{Photo of Milky Way over Goldendale Park by Mark De Regt}

Moderator: Mike Dole

New Members Orientation

New member orientation meetings are held two or three times a year to welcome new and prospective members to the club. This is an opportunity to meet other society members, to learn about the basics of visual observing and selecting equipment, and to find out more about the activities of the Seattle Astronomical Society.

No signup is necessary. If you have questions, please email Mike Dole at orientation@seattleastro.org.

Moderator: David W. Ingram

Outreach

ORBIT stands for OutReach Builders Team. We are the outreach arm of the Seattle Astronomical Society.

The official mission of the SAS includes outreach as one of the main efforts of the organization. However, we recognize that not all astronomers are equally interested in outreach, and the ORBIT group was created so that we will communicate outreach-related matters only to those who are interested.

Moderator: Mary Anderson

Through the Clouds

Through The Clouds, a Google group and SAS discussion forum, is a great place to find and interact not only with other SAS members but also with astronomers from around the world! There is no need to be a SAS member to join, though. Membership in Through the Clouds is open to all humans on Planet Earth with no requirement to live in Seattle or to join the Seattle Astronomical Society. (SAS) To join this discussion group, click on the Through the Clouds link above, and you will be taken to the registration page. After you become a Through the Clouds group member, clicking on the link will take you to the discussion page.

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Visual Observing

Visual Observation of the Night Sky.

One of the primary activities of amateur astronomers is visual observation of the night sky and the vast assortment of objects it contains. One can participate in this activity using the unaided eye or by using telescopes and binoculars of varying sizes and designs.

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Workshops

SAS Workshops are held periodically at Theodore Jacobsen Observatory (TJO) on the UW Campus. Workshops are designed to help you become more acquainted with amateur astronomy and help you meet other SAS members. Free parking is available on campus after 12:00 noon on weekends but the parking lots near TJO may be crowded. A good alternative is lot N16 on the east side of campus below Padelford Hall. Refreshments will be set up by 30 minutes before the meeting, so arrive early, have a cookie, and get to know us.