During these times, as we find ourselves distanced from family and friends, we have all had to adapt to a new way of life, with some strange new customs and unfamiliar activities.  And when there are so many more pressing and troubling matters that each of us has to deal with it seems trite to focus on a mere hobby.  And yet, my time at the telescope has always been a salve for me, lifting me from daily worries and giving me a few minutes or hours of respite.  This may be a strange, new world around us, but it remains a familiar and friendly sky above us.  Our old friends are still there, and still offer the same pleasures, peace and wonder that they always have.

Join us on February 14^th 2020 at 7:30pm – Admission is free and everyone is welcome!

Did you know that about 85% of the stars in the sky belong to multiple-star systems?

This month, our very own Bernie Venasse presents an introduction to DOUBLE STARS with emphasis on how to observe, measure and record your targets. Join him for an informative discussion about what you need to know to enjoy double-star observing.

Bernie Venasse is a former Hamilton Amateur Astronomers chairman and has been an active astronomer since the days of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. He is an active member of the British Astronomical Association, the Astronomical League, AAVSO, ALPO, and RASC.

He has received various awards from the Astronomical League including the Binocular Messier Award, Lunar Program Award, Outreach Award, Comet Observers’ Award, and three challenging Double Star Program Awards. Bernie has been awarded the prestigious Master Observer Award from the Astronomical League.

Bernie is a frequent user of the Binbrook Conservation Area site and whether he is using a solar scope, a refractor, or reflector there, on a street corner, or in a neighbourhood park, Bernie is always willing to give his time to assist a fellow astronomer.

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!

Amateur astronomy is a hobby of great diversity. From observing faint galaxies millions of light years away, to CCD astrophotography, to reading the latest magazine at the coffee shop, to comet chasing, tinkering with the latest equatorial mount, radio astronomy, enjoying a planetarium show and everything else in between. But for those who take a keen liking to the hobby – the time and money spent perfecting our craft can be astronomical, and we often lose sight of what it is that makes stargazing so appealing and so important. Join Kevin as we take a step back and a look up at the grander picture of the heavens above, and journey back to that very first moment when you realized the universe was calling for you to take a peek.

The Hamilton Amateur Astronomers will have solar eclipse glasses available at upcoming events between now and the August 21^st event. Please be sure to visit the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers at one of our stargazing events and grab yourself a pair. If you have questions about the upcoming solar eclipse, be sure to ask! Our club members are happy to share their experience and offer tips for great viewing.

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There’s a fast-moving returning comet in the sky, and we can see it with binoculars!

Comet 45P Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova

Here’s a link to the finder charts. The time is in universal time, so you will need to add 5 hours to the EST to get the time to use. Right now the Comet is not far from Hercules and is in the morning sky.
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In my talk and articles, I have often referred to certain free web resources which are useful observing planning tools.

These web pages allow you to locate items of interest in the sky, which vary (such as the location and brightness of asteroids) or are best observed from certain places on earth (such as eclipse paths).

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The azimuth for today’s Moonrise is 75 degrees: that is, 15 degrees North of Due East. You will be able to see it from Hamilton and Burlington out over lake Ontario. Bring your compass and you will catch it as it first peeks up. At 98.9 percent full, it’s already pretty super.

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A group of the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers got together for an evening of stargazing at the Binbrook Conservation Area, our “dark sky” site away from the lights of Hamilton. Observing at the park is available to all members of the club and offers a friendly atmosphere to observe the cosmos, chat with other club members and learn about astronomy.

I arrived at the park shortly after 9:30pm to see other members already setup and waiting for high-level clouds to pass. This evening we met at the boat launch area which provides a large level gravel parking lot with which to setup. We’re also right next to the reservoir which offers added photographic opportunities if taking a break from the telescope.

With Ontario going through hot daytime temperatures and low rainfall the evening hovered around a pleasant 26°C with no sign of mosquitoes or other pests. As I unpacked my gear heat-lightning put on a show over the southern horizon with fast sequences of flashes attracting excitement from the crowd of observers.

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