Club Meetings
First Wednesday of each month (except near holidays; see the Activity Calendar below)
UWL Cowley Hall Planetarium -
Open Meeting: If you need help with equipment or other astronomical advice we are here to help you if we can. We will allow the public to attend any meeting but please let us know in advance if you can but isn't required. Use the Contact Us option in the tabs area at the top of the page to let us know.
Social time: 7:15PM
Astronomy Presentation or Video: 8:00
Regular meetings: 8:15PM
Check our Groups.io User Group for GO/NO-GO decisions on upcoming observing events. Or just keep up with what's going on with the club. Join in if you like. The LCAAS Groups.io User Group is here: |
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2023 Activity Calendar (updated 10/02/2023)
- Regular LCAAS Club meetings: Normally, club meetings will be held in-person but might be changed to a Zoom Meeting at the discretion of the President.
- Observing nights are held at a site as indicated in the schedule below. These are held on a weekend closest to the new moon and are designated as “Dark Sky” on the calendar. However, we will normally make a last-minute call to GO or NO-GO, based on weather conditions, and post accordingly on the LCAAS Groups.io User Group: https://groups.io/g/LCAAS. Others may post there as well so check to see if anyone is going to be at the field.
- The public is welcome but please see the Observing Etiquette section on the Observing page.
- Friday only is listed for Dark Sky dates; Saturday is the backup if Friday is clouded out; other local events are also listed here if applicable.
Calendar
January 4 - Regular Club meeting
January 20 – Dark Sky – No Public Viewing is Scheduled
January 30/31 – The Moon occult's Mars
February 1 - Regular Club meeting and Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Closest to Earth
February 17 – Dark Sky – No Public Viewing is Scheduled
March 1 - Regular Club meeting
March 11 - Sheboygan Astronomical Society - 16th Annual Swap N' Sell - Sheboygan Airport
March 24 (backup night is the 25th) - NCRAL Winter Mini-Messier Marathon at the RHP Observing Site (Track down and view 27 Messier objects with the Club. Win a pin and certificate!) This early date is provisional due to weather limitations and site conditions. Monitor the groups.io site for information related to anyone going out.
March 24 - Dark Sky - RHP site - This early date is provisional due to weather limitations and site conditions. Monitor the groups.io site for information related to anyone going out.
April 5 - Regular Club meeting
April 21 - Dark Sky – RHP site (Moon is 4% full and sets at 10:05)
April 29 - Astronomy Day - MOVED TO G-E-T Observatory due to high water at Riverside Park, Solar observing 11:00am - 2:00pm, night observing 8:00pm - 10:00pm.
May 2 - Club Banquet (members only) – Location Ed Sullivan's in Trempealeau, WI, 6:00pm social, 7:00pm dinner
May 3 - Regular Club meeting
May 5-6 - NCRAL Conference - NCRAL 2023 at Grand Bear Lodge near Utica, Illinois
May 19 (backup night is the 20th) - NCRAL Spring Mini-Messier Marathon at the G-E-T observing Site (Track down and view 27 Messier objects with the Club. Win a pin and certificate!)
May 19 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site (Moon is 0% illuminated and rises at 5:22AM)
May 17 - The Moon occult's Jupiter
June 7 - Regular Club meeting
June 16 - Dark Sky – RHP site - "Out All Night" event (There is only 4.5hrs of darkness this close to he summer solstice).
July 5 - Regular Club meeting
July 14 - Wildcat Mountain State Park observing program 9:00PM
July 15 - Youth Outdoor Fest - Saturday, 10AM- 2PM - Pettibone Park
July 16-22 - Nebraska Star Party - 30th anniversary
July 21 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site
July 21 (backup night is the 22nd) - NCRAL Summer Mini-Messier Marathon at the G-E-T Observing Site (Track down and view 27 Messier objects with the Club. Win a pin and certificate!)
July 29 Perrot State Park - Saturday – Sunset 8:30 45 min Program at 8:00PM - observing after
August 2 - Regular Club Meeting
August 11 - Perseid Meteor Shower
August 11 - Dark Sky – RHP site (moved up one week to coincide with the Perseid Meteor Shower)
Aug 19 Perrot State Park – Saturday - Sunset 8:05 Program at 7:30PM - observing after
August 27 - Saturn at opposition
September 6 – Regular Club meeting
Sept 9 Perrot State Park – Sunset 7:29 Program at 7:00PM - observing after
September 15 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site – 6:00pm picnic prior to viewing
September 15 - (backup night is the 16th) - NCRAL Fall Mini-Messier Marathon at the G-E-T Observing Site (Track down and view 27 Messier objects with the Club. Win a pin and certificate!)
September 23 - Astronomy Day - Riverside Park, La Crosse, WI (near the cannon), Solar observing 11:00am - 2:00pm, night observing 8:00pm - 10:00pm.
October 4 – Regular Club Meeting
October 13 - Dark Sky – RHP site also an Autumn Mini-Messier opportunity
October 14 - Annular solar eclipse - 45%
October 19 – Wisconsin Science Fest – La Crosse County Library, West Salem
October 26 - Partial Lunar Eclipse
November 1 – Regular Club meeting
November 3 - Jupiter at opposition
November 10 – Dark Sky – RHP site
December 6 – Regular Club Meeting (Party)
December 15 – Dark Sky – RHP and The Geminids Meteor Shower - site conditions permitting
Partial Solar Eclipse
The view of the Sun rising at the end a an annular solar eclipse on June 10th, 2021 at the Ridge History Park. We had a group set up to observe this event. The sun rise started at 05:25. Thanks to Hank for providing this image.
Paul beside his inflatable planetarium
Paul Kinzer can give presentations on the night sky in a portable planetarium.
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Night Sky Network demo kit
Jack helping out with solar observing at Cub Scout Day Camp in August of 2022.
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2022 Youth Outdoor Fest - Pettibone Park, La Crosse, WI
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2022 Astronomy Day in Onalaska
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