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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2024 Activity Calendar (updated 4/30/2024)
- 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 3 – Regular Club meeting
January 12 – Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation (23.5 degrees from the Sun)
January 12 – Dark Sky – No Public Viewing is Scheduled
January 27 – At 7AM, just before Sunrise, Mercury is only 0.2° N of Mars. Sunrise is 7:27AM.
February 7 - Regular Club meeting and Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Closest to Earth
February 9 – Dark Sky – No Public Viewing is Scheduled
February 22 – Just ahead of sunrise, at 6:10AM, Venus is only 0.6°N of Mars but Mars is only 2.5° above the horizon. So, an excellent view of the horizon will be necessary to see this. Sunrise is 6:53AM.
March 6 - Regular Club meeting
March 8 - 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.
March 8 (backup night is the 9th) - 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.
March 23 - Sheboygan Astronomical Society - 17th Annual Swap N' Sell - Sheboygan Airport, 9am-1pm
April 2 Tuesday- Regular Club Meeting one day early due to the eclipse
April 5-9 – Texas Star Party
April 8- Total Solar Eclipse
April 12 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site – one week late to avoid the eclipse weekend (Moon is 22% and sets at 01:11)
May 1 - Regular Club meeting
May 7 - Club Banquet (members only) – At Fiesta Mexicana, 5200 Mormon Coulee Rd, La Crosse. We have the back room starting at 5:30; 6:00pm social, 7:00pm dinner (order off the menu)
May 10 - Dark Sky – RHP site (Moon is 11% illuminated and sets at 11:56 PM) (backup night is the 11th)
May 10 - NCRAL Spring Mini-Messier Marathon at the RHP observing Site (Track down and view 27 Messier objects with the Club. Win a pin and certificate!)
May 17-18 - NCRAL Conference - NCRAL 2024 at KRESS CENTER, ST. NORBERT COLLEGE, DEPERE, WI
May 18 - Astronomy Day - Riverside Park, La Crosse, WI (near the cannon), Solar observing 11:00am - 2:00pm, night observing 8:00pm - 10:00pm.
June 5 - Regular Club meeting
June 7 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site (backup night is the 8th)
June 7 - 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!)
July 10 - Regular Club meeting (adjusted due to 4th of July Holiday)
July 12 - Dark Sky – RHP site (43% Moon) (backup night is the 13th) (adjusted due to 4th of July Holiday)
July 12 - NCRAL Summer Mini-Messier Marathon at the RHP Observing Site (Track down and view 27 Messier objects with the Club. Win a pin and certificate!)
July 13 - Youth Outdoor Fest - Saturday, 10AM- 2PM - Pettibone Park
July 27 - Perrot State Park - Saturday – Sunset 8:44, 45 min Program at 8:15PM - observing after
July 28-Aug 2 - Nebraska Star Party - 31st Annual Nebraska Star Party
August 2 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site
August 7 - Regular Club Meeting
August 17 - Mississippi Valley Conservancy - Observing at the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration facility located in St Joeseph Ridge - Sunset is 8:15PM Setup starting at 7:15.
August 24 - Perrot State Park – Saturday - Sunset 8:04 Program at 7:30PM - observing after (Moon rise 10:22PM)
September 4 – Regular Club meeting
September 6 - Dark Sky – RHP site – 6:00pm picnic prior to viewing
Sept 28 - Perrot State Park – Saturday - Sunset 6:59 Program at 6:30PM - observing after (Moon rise 2:39AM)
October 2 – Regular Club Meeting
October 4 - Dark Sky – G-E-T site (backup night is the 5th)
October 4 - Autumn Mini-Messier opportunity - 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!)
October 5 - Program at Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge (sunset 6:46 PM) (Moon sets 7:45PM-10% illuminated)
October 12 - Astronomy Day - Riverside Park, La Crosse, WI (near the cannon), Solar observing 11:00am - 2:00pm, night observing 8:00pm - 10:00pm.
November 1 – Dark Sky – RHP site
November 6 – Regular Club meeting
November 29 – Dark Sky – RHP - site conditions permitting
December 4 – Regular Club Meeting (Party)
December 27 – Dark Sky – RHP - 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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