Society for Popular Astronomy

I've attached an image showing what's what. The bigger blue circle is 6.2° ... You left off my neighbor's trees. Unfortunately, Cassiopeia is too low in the northwest for me. I went out again at 5:00 AM, but it had not come around on the east yet. It is only Autumn and early Winter for me from my b...

Fascinating, Michael. Thanks for the reports.

Thanks! I got a BAA news flash first, but the SPA news has been better. I could tell by the RA and Dec that it was close to M52 but I have not tried to find it yet. Tonight is clear, in fact.

(1) I have turned to double stars. Many stars that appear as one the naked eye resolve into two (or more) with a modest telescope. (2) The planets are all easy to find. Mars, however, often disappoints people because of its small size in any instrument. However, even with a small telescope 100 mm (4...

My old zeiss 10x50's have had their days,i keep them in my works van,i noticed Mars looking so nice the last few night,so i am thinking maybe a refractor telescope for at home? cheers Andy In the book Binocular Highlights, Gary Seronik says that expensive binos and cheap binos have about the same o...

Through a YouTube channel created by a maths boffin named Tibees, I found this. She misidentified it as a final exam in astrophysics. It is merely plain old astronomy, which, apparently, at MIT is astrophysics. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-282j-introduction-to-astronomy-spring-2006/exams/fi...

Quote: The grading system is simple. Each video is followed by several quizz, either multiple choice questions or questions requesting a numerical answer. In most cases it is possible to try 2-3 answers before giving the final answer. You qualify for the certificate with at least 50% of correct answ...

I recently completed an online class offered by the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne through edX, a program created by Harvard and MIT and now involving many other institutions. I recommend this class with serious reservations. If you want a structured experience in learning astrophysics on ...

With some 90% of amateur astronomers being male ... Popular Astronomy. March/April 2021 p.12 "Amateur Astronomers surveyed" That would be 90% of those who answered the questionnaire. I accept the premise, but let us not confuse a nebula with a galaxy, even though it could be said that a c...

Well there's lots of jokes.
"I got this telescope for my husband. Do think it was a good trade?"

Keep. us posted on your observing sessions.

Hello, colleagues. The History of Astronomy Division of the American Astronomical Society is looking for entries for our calendar for 2021-2022. The column is open to amateurs and professionals at all levels. You do not need to be an AAS member. Right now, we are looking to fill April and May 2021 a...

Scientists are calling for the imposition of orbital fees of up to $235,000 per satellite emplacement in orbit. ... This is economists' talk and only helps to reinforce the Wild West mentality of Elon Musk,etc. ... Well, first of all, I live in Texas. So, contrary to the Wild West, I believe that w...

Ahead of that 14 January 2021 Meet-and-Greet at the 237th Meeting of the AAS, I sent this to the early adopters who had met on 20 December 2020. An Amateur Astronomer’s Credo My love of astronomy is its own justification. I am motivated to practice the science of astronomy by my enjoyment of the act...

13 January 2021 2314 hours Messier 41 Following the Sky&Tel "sky tonight" webpage, I chose M41 below Sirius. My instrument is an Explore Scientific "First Light" 102 mm refractor. I started with a 14mm and 2X Barlow ocular, and then used 32mm X2 and 25 mmX2 and then 12x50 bin...

I’ve had a very pleasant, if slightly chilly couple of hours observing with my 66mm William Optics refractor, combined with a 38mm 2” eyepiece. ... I spent a bit of time observing the Andromeda Galaxy, the Cheshire Cat asterism in Auriga, the Hyades, and the Pleiades. I also caught up with Uranus, ...