ADD TO FAVORITES!
...bringing the cosmos to the people of central Iowa...and the world...
home
mission
ashton
events
gallery
contact
links
guests

affiliation

www.iya2009.org

iya

Drake Observatory


Located in Waveland Golf Course, the Drake Observatory offers spring, summer, and fall public lectures.

DMAS is a member of the North-Central Region of the Astronomical League

DMAS supports dark skies through our membership with the International Dark Sky Association

Contact the Iowa
Section Leader
Joanne Hailey

.
Join the DMAS_Public Yahoo Group!
top | current conditions | dmas happenings | sponsors | credits

ASTRONOMY DAY 2009 A BIG SUCCESS!

DMAS celebrated Astronomy Day 2009 in four locations around Des Moines. Merle Hay Mall (pictured above with DMAS member Doug Rudd), The Downtown Farmer's Market, Gray's Lake, and at The Science Center of Iowa. Over 500 people visited DMAS booths and viewed the Sun through telescopes.

 

On May 30th, Ashton Observatory will host Dr. William Kurth from the University of Iowa. Dr. Kurth will present a talk on the Cassini Mission currently doing science around the ringed planet Saturn, and a future mission to Jupiter named Juno.

Dr. Kurth's website: www-pw.physics.uiowa.edu/~wsk/

The Cassini Mission: saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/

The Juno Mission: juno.wisc.edu/

The International
Year of Astronomy 2009

2009 is the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. To celebrate, 2009 has been declared The International Year of Astronomy. Watch for special events in central Iowa and around the world.

Timberline Observatory

In December The Des Moines Astronomical Society was given a very gracious donation - a complete remote observatory. The observatory is located on approximately 12 acres of land in Madison County 30 miles from Des Moines. The 10-foot dome houses a 14-inch Meade LX200 GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with an Orion spotting scope. The donation included a CCD camera, an off axis guider, and several eye pieces. In March the Observatory Committee made the recommendation to decommission the observatory due to the proximity of the observatory to a highway, and the poor visibility to much of the sky. At the March 7th general meeting of the members the recommendation was voted on and passed. The committee will meet again in April to discuss options for what to do with the equipment, and the observatory.

 


2009 Public Nights

Download presentation schedule here (56k .pdf)
Driving Directions to Ashton Observatory
[A small donation is appreciated to help fund public observatory programs]

May Public Nights
May 2 Astronomy Day
Open Public Viewing
May 9 Harry Wood
The Moon
May 16 Herb Schwartz
Messier Skies - Part 1
May 23 Herb Schwartz
Messier Skies - Part 2
May 30 Dr. Bill Kurth
The Cassini and Juno Missions

[All DMAS Public Nights begin at 8:00 PM]

The "Whirlpool Galaxy" (M-51) imaged by DMAS member Jim Holloway.

Timberline Observatory




Current IR Satellite

Click image to enlarge
Image courtesy www.iowachannel.com.


Planet Positions
Courtesy www.heavens-above.com

Sunrise/Sunset
Information

Courtesy usno.navy.mil

Astronomy Picture
of the Day

Courtesy antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov
Moon

Moon Phase

Courtesy tycho.usno.navy.mil

"The Sky This Week"
by Dave Oesper

Whole Sky Chart
Courtesy www.heavens-above.com

Clear Sky Clock

Courtesy cleardarksky.com

visible

Auroral Activity

Click image to enlarge
Image courtesy spaceweather.com.


ISS, Shuttle, Iridium Flares + More!
Courtesy www.heavens-above.com

Current Comets
Courtesy jpl.nasa.org

Current Meteor Showers
Courtesy www.amsmeteors.org

Latest SOHO Images
Courtesy sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov

top | current conditions | dmas happenings | sponsors | credits


DMAS General Meetings
Ashton Observatory

All meetings begin at 6:30 PM

April 4th General Business Meeting
  Public Night at 8:00 PM
May 2nd General Business Meeting
  Public Night at 8:00 PM
June 6th General Business Meeting
  Public Night at 8:00 PM

 

By-Law Committee

May 21st, 6:30 PM
Bosselman's Truck Stop

Observatory Committee

TBA

Education Outreach Committee

TBA

Board of Directors

TBA




.

To submit an article of interest to the StarLight Journal, please contact the Editor. The StarLight Journal can be accessed by DMAS members by signing up for our Yahoo Group.

.

[Submission deadline for each month is nine days following members meeting, and is published monthly in the newsletter.]

If you would like to become a member of DMAS, please complete the DMAS Membership Application (44kb .pdf) and mail it today!

To read the current DMAS By-laws, click HERE


Many thanks to the following for their generous contributions...


The Roy J. Carver
Charitable Trust
The Fred Maytag
Family Foundation
The Jasper County
Conservation Board
Ash Logo ds logo
Web service provided by
dreamsenses.com

funded by members like you...

OGS Logo


top | current conditions | dmas happenings | sponsors | credits


2009 Public Night Schedule
DMAS Home | Ashton Observatory | DMAS Gallery | Mission |
Contact Us | Astronomy Links | Sign Guestbook |

DMAS Logo (c) The Des Moines Astronomical Society, Inc. 1996-
Webpage Design By: Dreamsenses!