This article is based on the “Star Party Preparation and Etiquette” post on Cloudy Nights by DAS Member and Trustee, Joe Gafford.
What’s a Star Party?A star party is a gathering of astronomy enthusiasts who come together to observe the night sky, share knowledge, and enjoy celestial sights through telescopes and binoculars.… Continue reading.
Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.
March 31: Look for the Spring Triangle asterism around midnight, which is now visible to the south as the constellations of Leo, Virgo, and Boötes and their brightest stars Regulus, Spica, and Arcturus begin to dominate the spring skies.… Continue reading.
Last month, we discussed the Hubble’s Night Sky Observing Challenge and the March targets announced by the Astronomical League and NASA to celebrate 35 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope. These organizations have announced a new set of targets for the month of April.… Continue reading.
Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.
March 24: Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 1:00 PM. The innermost planet passes into the morning sky. DAS E-Board Meeting – 7:00 PM – 9:00PM (Zoom) If you’re planning to to take part in the NASA/AL Hubble Night Sky Challenge, for either the March (Silver) or the entire year (Gold), this is the last week to complete your observations!… Continue reading.
At a recent Denver Astronomical Society (DAS) Astronomical Observing 101 class, some students were surprised when the instructor, former DAS Vice President, Dr. Mehmet Unsoy, told them that the Big Dipper is not actually a constellation. Instead, it’s something called an asterism in the larger constellation Ursa Minor!… Continue reading.
If you’re just starting out in astronomy, chances are someone has recommended a reflector telescope — and likely it was a Dobsonian. Dobsonians are a type of reflector telescope that uses a simple mount to operate and mirrors to gather and focus light.… Continue reading.
Every year in mid-March, the Denver Astronomical Society (DAS) gathers for its Annual Spring Banquet. This special event is a time to celebrate the Society’s accomplishments, welcome newly elected board members and trustees, and honor dedicated members with awards.… Continue reading.
The Andromeda Galaxy, the closest large galaxy to our own Milky Way, has been visible to the naked eye for as long as humans have gazed at the stars. The first recorded observation dates back to 964 CE when the Persian astronomer Al-Sufi described it as a “little cloud.”… Continue reading.
Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.
March 17: The Moon reaches apogee (252,123 miles / 405,754 km away – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit): 10:00 AM. St. Patrick’s Day March 18: Astronomical Observing 101 Class: 7:00 PM at Secular Hub Community Center (Registration Required).… Continue reading.
Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.
March 10: Look for the waxing gibbous Worm Moon near the Beehive Cluster (M44) high overhead in Cancer around 10:00 PM. March 11: The Search for Interstellar Objects of Technological Origin (Free, Virtual Lecture from Hamptons Observatory) – 5:00 PM (Registration Required).… Continue reading.