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Take advantage of the opportunities in the Twin Cities to gaze at the stars
compiled by Jenni Swenson
You may not be aware of it, but many unique opportunities exist in the Twin Cities to stargaze. Although the list below is incomplete, it should give you an idea of the breadth of astronomical activities that occur year-round.
The Department of Astronomy at the University of Minnesota offers public telescope viewings on the roof of the Tate Lab of Physics (on the main mall of the Minneapolis Campus, next to Northrup Auditorium).
Observing sessions take place every Friday night when the sky is a least 3/4 clear. Call 612-626-0021 for a recorded message on the observing status before comiing. Public observing is run by graduate students, and takes place during the academic year and the summer.
Groups can also be accommodated, but require advance reservations. Call 612-624-2561 for more information.
The Minnesota Astronomical Society (MAS) invites you to join them and explore the universe. No matter what your level of knowledge or experience may be, the MAS provides for a wide range of interests, from deep sky observing, astrophotography, meteor showers, comets, and occultations to lunar and solar observing, and telescope making. The MAS also organizes trips to optical and radio observatories, conventions of the Astronomical League, and astronomical events, such as eclipses and occultations.
Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month, and you don't need to be a MAS member to attend. Held in the auditorium of the Science Museum of Minnesota, 30 East 10th Street in St. Paul, the meetings start at 7:30 pm and last about two hours. If you plan to attend the next meeting, call (651)649-4861 for time, place and featured topic.
In addition, MAS holds Star Parties on weekends around the new moon, scheduled March through December, at one of a handful of observing sites around the Twin Cities. In the spring, summer and fall -- weather permitting --the MAS also holds Sidewalk Astronomy events at various locations around the Twin Cities.
For more information, visit the MAS Web site at http://mas.bitstream.net/.
The Minneapolis Planetarium, located at 300 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, is operated by the Friends of the Minneapolis Pubic Library. Offering various activities, the planetarium will host the last solar eclipse of the Millenium. Occuring August 11, the eclipse will not be visible in Minnesota or anywhere in the United States, so the planetarium has planned an eclipse cruise to the Black Sea to witness the event.
A popular outing sponsored by the planetarium is Romancing the Stars, a brand new show about the constellations of love. Enjoy an evening of love stories under the stars. Shows start at 7:00 pm on the second Saturday of each month. Tickets are $8.00 per couple.
For more information aout the Minneapolis Planetarium or any of their sponsored activities, call 612-630-6255 or visit their Web site at http://ast1.spa.umn.edu/Outreach/planetarium.html.
Produced by the Department of Astronomy at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Starwatch is designed to inform the community of the appearance of the night sky and current activities and continues to appear as an insert in several newspapers throughout the state of Minnesota. More than 20,000 calls are answered each year through taped messages prepared by faculty and graduate students. Messages are recorded by Mike Lynch of WCCO radio. Call 612-624-2001 for a 2-3 minute Minnesota Starwatch message. Messages are changed monthly.
For more information and to view current and back issues online, visit Minnesota Starwatch's Web site at http://ast1.spa.umn.edu/Outreach/Starwatch/.
