Announcements

Reminder for Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting

This is just a friendly reminder that the Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting (astrophotography event) is scheduled for Apr 09, 2019, 07:00 PM. Please come out and join us!

Wade Hilmo will be discussing his experiences with the MureDenoise script in PixInsight.  Come learn how to use this relatively new and powerful PI script to reduce noise in your images!   I hope to see you there!

Announcement - Stargazing in Seattle

Mars passes near the Pleiades in late March and early April. On the evenings of March 30^th and March 31^st, Mars will have moved to within three and a half degrees of this beautiful star cluster, and will remain within five degrees of the Pleiades until April 5^th. This will be an interesting area for stargazers to watch for more than a week before and after the closest approach between Mars and the Pleiades. In particular, a crescent moon will be placed within a few degrees of Mars, the Pleiades, and the red giant star Aldebaran on Monday evening, April 8^th. The following evening, April 9^th, this attractive group will be just slightly more spread out, with the Moon placed about six degrees above Aldebaran.

Announcement - Stargazing in Seattle

On April first, a thin crescent Moon will join Venus to decorate the morning sky, very low in the east-southeast. The pair will rise at about 5:46 AM as seen from Seattle but this assumes a clear level horizon to the east. Most likely, your view will remain blocked by nearby hills and trees until at least 6:00 AM. The best time to look will be about 6:15 AM, just before the beginning of morning civil twilight, when the pair will have climbed to about four degrees above the horizon. Venus will be located about eight degrees to the left of the moon. Mercury will be about ten degrees below and to the left of Venus but will be less than two degrees above the horizon at 6:15 and will be very difficult to spot.

Reminder for Mars: Your Personal Journey to the Red Planet

This is just a friendly reminder that the Mars: Your Personal Journey to the Red Planet (general meetings event) is scheduled for Mar 20, 2019, 07:00 PM. Please come out and join us!

Cancellation for Green Lake Public Star Party

This Green Lake Public Star Party (outreach event) scheduled for Mar 16, 2019, 07:00 PM is cancelled due to clouds.  Because cloud cover appears to be increasing rather than decreasing as the forecast stated, the Green Lake Star Party is canceled.

Reminder for Green Lake Public Star Party

This is just a friendly reminder that the Green Lake Public Star Party (outreach event) is scheduled for Mar 16, 2019, 07:00 PM. Please come out and join us!  The sky isn't too great at the moment, but the national forecast is for "decreasing clouds."  The Clear Sky chart on this SAS Website supports that forecast by showing a decreasing percentage of cloud cover: 7:00 p.m. 10%, 8:00 p.m. 20%, 9:00 10%, 10:00 Clear, 11:00 Clear, 12:00 a.m. Clear. If there is a change, that fact will be posted here first, so check before you go.

Reminder for Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting

This is just a friendly reminder that the Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting (astrophotography event) is scheduled for Mar 12, 2019, 07:00 PM. Please come out and join us!

Stephanie Pahl Anderson will be sharing her experiences with the new RASA8!

Reminder for Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting

This is just a friendly reminder that the Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting (astrophotography event) is scheduled for Mar 12, 2019, 07:00 PM.  Stephanie Anderson will be discussing her experiences with the new Celestron RASA 8-inch. Please come out and join us!

PLEASE NOTE: The meeting is at 7:00PM.  Right now pending Daylight Saving Time switching is causing the meeting to show that it is beginning at 8pm.  I'm working to update that, but the meeting BEGINS at 7:00PM.

Cancellation for Third Quarter Moon Members-Only Star Party

This Third Quarter Moon Members-Only Star Party (star party event) scheduled for Feb 23, 2019, 07:00 PM is cancelled due to inclement weather.

Stargazing in Seattle - Crescent Moon with Morning Planets

On the morning of February 27, a waning crescent moon (23 days old, 39% illuminated) is in the south near Jupiter at dawn. Two days later, on March 1, a thin crescent moon (21% illuminated) will be near Saturn at dawn. On the following morning, (March 2) the crescent moon will be within a few degrees of Venus at dawn.

Stargazing in Seattle - Mercury in the Evening

On Tuesday February 26, Mercury reaches greatest elongation. The is the best evening appearance for 2019. Look for Mercury low in the western sky after dusk (civil twilight is 6:20 PM and Mercury sets at 7:29 PM). Mercury is bright (magnitude -0.6) and should be visible for more than a week before and after the date of greatest elongation.

Reminder for Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting

This is just one last friendly reminder that the Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting (astrophotography event) is scheduled for Feb 19, 2019, 07:00 PM. Please come out and join us!

Reminder for Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting

This is just a friendly reminder that the Astrophotography Special Interest Group Meeting (astrophotography event) is scheduled for Feb 19, 2019, 07:00 PM. Please come out and join us! This is the makeup meeting for last Tuesday’s cancellation due to snow. Come learn some best practices for troubleshooting your gear in the field! I hope to see you there!

Cancellation for Green Lake Star Party

This Green Lake Star Party (outreach event) scheduled for Feb 16, 2019, 06:00 PM is canceled due to inclement weather.

Cancellation for Paramount School Park Public Star Party

This Paramount School Park Public Star Party (outreach event) scheduled for Feb 16, 2019, 06:00 PM is cancelled due to inclement weather.