Stars Over Yellowstone 2012

The dates are set for our 15th year of Stars Over Yellowstone Summer 2012.

Put these dates on your calendar and come join us for the fun.

June 22 & 23 – speaker: Jim Manning
July 20 & 21 - speakers: Michelle and Shane Larson
Aug. 17 & 18 - speaker: SPOT program from MSU

Be sure and check the details on our Stars Over Yellowstone page.

Enjoy a few pictures from our July 2011 event, more pictures are posted on our Stars Over Yellowstone page.

From the Big Bang to Broadway: How Things Evolve – Lecture at MOR

Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7pm, Museum of the Rockies
Join Robert M. Hazen of the Carnegie Institute of Washington for a presentation on how things evolve. Hazen will compare evolution is everything from the development of language and progress in culture and the arts, to the formation of chemical elements in stars following the Big Bang and diversification of minerals on Earth-like planets. The similarities and differences among these systems underscore general principles of emergent complexity and underscore the power and plausibility of biological evolution.
Free and open to the public. Presented by the MSU Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center.

Summer Observing

Dates have been set for some summer time observing.

Stars over Bozeman – Friday July 8th and Friday August 5th.  Set up scopes around 9:00, observing when it gets dark.  We’ll be at the Hundred Acre Park off of Oak Street again this year.

Solar Sidewalk Observing – We’ll be at the Lunch on the Lawn at the Emerson on Wednesdays 11:30-1:30 starting on July 6th. (July 13, July 20, July 27, Aug. 3, Aug. 10 and Aug. 17)

Solar Sidewalk Observing at Sweet Pea.

Plan on coming and join us this summer for some observing.

Join us for the 15th Annual Astronomy Day in Bozeman on April 2

Astronomy Day scheduled in Bozeman April 2

NASA astronaut Richard Arnold headlines a day of space science-related outreach for kids and adults in Bozeman on April 2.

A day of astronomy-related events for kids, adults and teachers will be held in Bozeman on Saturday, April 2, including a presentation by astronaut Richard Arnold, who flew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Teacher in Space program.

Public events take place at the Museum of the Rockies from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and an evening telescope viewing session is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., weather permitting. All Astronomy Day 2011 activities and Museum admission are free.

At 1 p.m., MSU President Waded Cruzado will give the opening remarks, and at 1:10 p.m., astronaut Richard Arnold will speak about his mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery in March 2009. An autograph session with Arnold will follow. Seating is limited to 200 people and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The auditorium doors open at noon.

At 3 p.m. NASA Solar System Ambassador Shirley Green will present “Pluto and New Horizons,” and at 4 p.m., Robert Leamon, a Living with a Star Discipline Scientist, will present about NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Kids’ activities include face painting, sun catchers, star finders, solar system jewelry and more. Telescopes will be set up for solar observing (weather permitting), and exhibits in the main lobby will feature activities, information and give-aways from NASA missions and Montana State University researchers.

Planetarium shows include “Star Signs” and “Here Comes the Sun.”

Educator workshops are a new addition to this year’s Astronomy Day. From 9 a.m. to noon, grade 4-12 educators can learn about lunar and meteorite samples stored at the NASA Johnson Space Center and become certified to bring these samples into their classrooms. The workshop is led by NASA education specialist Tony Leavitt. “Ice in the Solar System” takes place from noon to 1 p.m. Designed for teachers of grades K-12, it is led by NASA Solar System Educator Shirley Greene. Montana OPI Renewal Units are available for both workshops, and pre-registration is required.

Astronomy Day is sponsored by the Museum of the Rockies, Montana Space Grant Consortium and its Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT), Project WET Foundation, Southwest Montana Astronomical Society, and MSU’s Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center, Department of Education, Extended University, Solar Physics Research Group and SPIE.

For more information visit http://eu.montana.edu/AstronomyDay/

Fred Birk, Past President of SMAS to speak on VLA

Fred Birk, past president of SMAS, will give a talk during the March 26th meeting of SMAS. 7:00 in the Redstart room, downstairs at the Museum of the Rockies.  Fred’s talk will be followed by a short club meeting with updates on Stars over Yellowstone, Stars over Bozeman, and the upcoming Astronomy Day event.  Bring a friend!

John Bogard to talk Friday, Oct.30 at SMAS meeting

John Bognar, past director of MSU’s high altitude scientific balloon program (BOREALIS,) will talk about the current status of high altitude ballooning.
John has a company (Anasphere) that has developed some radiosonde kits that let students gather their own atmospheric data with sensors they launch on small helium balloons. Their web site anasphere.com summarizes most of the educational work and outreach.