2012 Messier Marathon
Open invitation -
March Messier Marathon
- Sponsored by Sangamon Astronomical Society -
March 23 & 24, 2012
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area
- Home of the IDSSP -
Plenty of room for tents, campers and equipment
Warming area, coffee, tea and hot chocolate provided
$15.00 for two nights to help cover camping fees
Contact: SAS Sec. Ray Watt (raywatt@hotmail.com) for more details
S.A.S. Welcomes You
The Sangamon Astronomical Society is a registered not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising the public’s awareness about
the science of astronomy and to increasing the interest of astronomical science to education in the Springfield area. We aim our telescopes and intentions on developing friendships based upon a hobby that engages the mind and raises the appreciation of the universe around us.
S.A.S. origins date back to 1953 when six local amateur astronomers decided to formally organize and offer regularly scheduled public meetings. These monthly meetings have continued in various places throughout the years. S.A.S. is available for public presentations to groups of all sizes. Sharing astronomy is not only part of the hobby, it’s our mission. For further information of our organization contact us at our email sas_sky@hotmail.com. Applicants for membership Click Here to print a membership form.
The S.A.S. is a member of the Astronomical League, a national association of member societies that all have the same mission – to promote the science of astronomy in the community. The Astronomical League is made up of over 200 member amateur organizations from the United States and individual members-at-large from around the world.
Sangamon Astronomical Society is also proud to be a member of the Night Sky Network, an educational outreach program sponsored by NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratories and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. The purpose of this program and one of the functions of our organization as well, is to make public observing nights available for the public and area school programs introducing the night sky and astronomy to those interested.
January Monthly Meeting
SAS January monthly meeting – January 19, 2012
Thanks to Jim Rosenthal for the Eros asteroid chart that depicts the path for this object in January and February. Eros has an 8.8 magnitude brightness so you should be able to see it in a six inch scope. You’ll have to spend some time at the eyepiece to notice it’s movement or do drawings and check back often to detect movement.
Don’t forget the March Messier Marathon at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Park. We have reserved the group campgrounds for March 23 and 24 so there should be plenty of room to set up. We will have a warming area with hot beverages of course. Bring your own food. SAS has also opened the event up to those who have attended the IDSSP in the past so we might wind up with a small start party event. We’re not anticipating a huge crowd but since we are reserving both campsites, it would be nice to get enough people to break even on the cost.
It’s great weekend fun and for just $15 you get two nights of camping, nice facilities including showers, and free hot beverages. It’s a deal.
Our meeting also included a video update on the planet-hunting mission of the Kepler spacecraft. You can check out the videos at www.aas.org. Click on Press Services and then Archives.
Note: Watch the spelling of the website. It’s two a’s NOT two s’s. Wouldn’t want you to wind up somewhere you didn’t intend to go.
SAS is planning a public event in June to show and highlight the Venus transit of the Sun. The next one won’t occur until beyond 100 years from now so this will be quite a spectacle. Please consider getting involved.
Our next regularly scheduled meeting is February 16.
Ray Watt
SAS Secretary
2012 IDSSP
Illinois Dark Skies Star Party – 2012
Oct. 11 – 14, 2012
Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area
Registration opens in April – Check Here later for registration details
Sangamon Astronomical Society