Events & Outreach
The latest issue of the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers Event Horizon newsletter is now available for download!
In this issue you’ll find…
• April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse Planning
• September Astrophysics Group Meeting Summary
• Report from the 2019 Black Forest Star Party
• The Sky for October 2019
• NASA Night Sky Notes
• Eye Candy
• Upcoming Events
• Plus More
Download the latest issue or visit the newsletters section for past issues.
Photo credit: The Milky Way from Binbrook, by Ann Tekatch
Join us this Friday August 9th for our annual Perseids event at Binbrook Conservation Area which is also our biggest outreach event of the year. This event is open to everyone so an HAA membership is not required.
Entrance to the park is free after 8:00 PM and will run until 11:00 PM. As usual, we will be in the big bowl shaped lawn near Pavilion 3. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy the night sky while you watch for meteors!
Binbrook Conservation Area is located at 5050 Harrison Rd, Binbrook, ON L0R 1C0. Click here for directions.
We hope to see you there!
Photo credit: wired.com
Happy astronomy day! Tonight, Saturday May 11, we have our public observing night scheduled from 8:30 – 11 PM.
Originally scheduled for McQueston Park on the mountain, we have relocated to Bayfront Park. (There is a carnival at McQueston, and although it sounds like fun, there just isn’t room for us there this month. We’ll be back at McQueston another time.)
Everyone is welcome to come out for this fun outreach event. Bring your telescope, bring your binoculars, bring your family and friends! We will be meeting in the parking lot of Bayfront Park, on the beautiful Hamilton waterfront, at Harbourfront Drive and Bay Street North. There are usually lots of passersby and visitors to the park and the more scopes we have to show off the better!
The forecast is looking only mediocre, but there is a chance of clear skies to begin the evening, and there is no rain forecast. It’s a lovely moon phase tonight and if clear enough we can see the moon pass through M44, the Beehive Cluster. At worst we will have a fun visit.
We hope to see you there!
It’s that time again! The HAA will be hosting our spring workshop on Saturday April 20, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. There will be a jam packed schedule for those interested in learning some key skills in the field of astronomy. As always, be sure to bring your questions and curiosity as there will be several knowledgeable amateur astronomers available to help you start out in astronomy or take it to the next level.
There will also be a number of door prizes available including a beginner’s telescope!
The schedule of speakers is as follows;
1:00 – How to use planispheres and Binoculars with Matthew Mannering
1:30 – Star hopping across the Sky with Steve Germann
2:00 – Intermission
2:30 – Seeing and Transparency with Leslie Webb
3:00 – Keeping an Observing Journal with Bernie Venasse
Admission is free so bring your family and friends!
Location:
Hamilton Spectator Building at 44 Frid St, Hamilton
When:
Saturday, April 20 2019 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Food Share Donations:
Donations of non-perishable food for the Hamilton Food Share program will be collected at this meeting. Please drop off any items at the drop-box located near the entrance of the auditorium. All donations gratefully accepted and thanks to your generosity we’ve collected thousands of pounds of food since we began. Let’s keep up the great work as the need continues.
The latest issue of the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers Event Horizon newsletter is now available for download!
In this issue you’ll find…
- April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse Planning
- March Astrophysics Group Meeting Summary
- The Sky This Month for April 2019
- For Dog Lovers!
- The Best of Cartoon Corner
- Upcoming Events
- Plus More
Download the latest issue or visit the newsletters section for past issues.
Photo credit:This month’s Waning Gibbous Moon, by Sylvie Gionet
Find yourself the proud owner of a shiny new telescope this holiday season and not sure how to use it? Or perhaps thinking of buying one but have some questions? You’re in luck! The Hamilton Amateur Astronomers will be hosting a Scope Clinic and Open House on Saturday February 2, 2019. Held in the auditorium of the Hamilton Spectator Building, 44 Frid St Hamilton, the doors are open to the public from 1:00 – 5:00PM.
A wide variety of astronomical equipment will also be on display, including telescopes, binoculars, astro-photographic equipment, charts and meteorites! Bring your own telescope to get tips and pointers on using it, or help fixing it if it is in need of repair.
Admission is free so bring your family and friends!
Location:
Hamilton Spectator Building
44 Frid St, Hamilton
When:
Saturday, February 2nd, 1:00 – 5:00pm
Food Share Donations:
Donations of non-perishable food for the Hamilton Food Share program will be collected at this meeting. Please drop off any items at the drop-box located near the entrance of the auditorium. All donations gratefully accepted and thanks to your generosity we’ve collected thousands of pounds of food since we began. Let’s keep up the great work as the need continues.
Photo credit: John Gauvreau
Mark your calendars! Join the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers on November 16 at 6:00 PM for our Fall workshop. As with our spring event, there will be several speakers discussing various aspects of astronomy and how to get the most out of this very rewarding hobby. As always, be sure to bring your questions and curiosity as there will be several knowledgeable amateur astronomers available to help you start out in astronomy, take it to the next level, or perhaps give you some holiday gift ideas for the amateur astronomer in your life.
The schedule of speakers is as follows;
6:00 PM – Jim Wamsley, Meteorite Display (this will be an on going display throughout the evening)
6:30 PM – Barry Shermann, Introduction to Telescope Types
7:00 PM – Bernie Venasse, Choosing the Right Star Atlas
7:30 PM – Kevin Salwach, Binoculars for Astronomy
8:00 PM – Sue MacLachlan, The Astronomers’ Library
8:30 PM – Matthew Mannering, Eyepieces and Accessories
Admission is free so bring your family and friends!
***Please note that this event will be a workshop only. The scope clinic will held in January 2019. Stay tuned for those details.
Join Us – All Welcome for the Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Event this Saturday, August 11, 2017
Free Admission
Watch the Perseids meteor shower with the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers at the Binbrook Conservation Area from 8 to 11 p.m. on Saturday August 11. Admission is free so bring the whole family for a fun evening under the stars!
Join us for a BBQ and Star Party to celebrate the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers 25th Anniversary. After dinner there will be a brief Night Sky Tour followed by an evening of star gazing. So come prepared!
For full details and to buy your tickets online…
Photo credit: Don Pullen
Join the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers this April 7 for our Spring telescope clinic! This year our format is a little different and we’ll have scope-stations setup each covering different aspects of telescopes. Move from station to stating to get a comprehensive understanding of many telescope types, eyepieces, and approaches to astrophotography. Bring your questions and curiosity as many amateur astronomers will be on hand to help you either get into astronomy or expand your existing experience.
- 1:30pm, Barry Shermann, Introduction to Telescope Types
- 2:00pm, Matthew Mannering, Introduction to Eyepieces
- 2:30pm, Kevin Salwach, Binoculars Astronomy
- 3:00pm, Sue McLachlan, The Beginning Astronomer’s Library
- 3:30pm, Bernie Venasse, Approaches to Astrophotograhy
Admission is free so bring your family and friends!