On this page we will announce various happening in the Austin area relating to astronomy. Hopefully, the list will be changing constantly, so check in frequently!
PUBLIC TALKS
This semester, I am giving a series of talks to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, telling the story of the development of astronomy and the scientific process. All talks during the Fall 2009 semester will be at the ACC Cypress Creek Campus, Room 1102. The talks start at 7:00 PM, and a star party, co-hosted by the Austin Planetarium, will follow each talk.
Friday, October 16, 2009 -- "On the Shoulders of Giants, Part II: Ptolemy to Tycho"
Friday, November 13, 2009 -- "Galileo and Kepler: The Birth of Science"
Friday, December 4, 2009 -- "The Search for Extraterrestrial Life"
Sky Happenings for Fall 2009
Prominent Stars and Constellations:
Ursa Major, Arcturus, Lyra, Vega, Cygnus, Deneb, Altair, Hercules, Pegasus, Cassiopeia, Capella
The Planets
Evening: Jupiter
Morning: Venus, Mars, Saturn, Mercury
Sky Events
September 29 -- Jupiter near the Gibbous Moon.
October 4 -- Full Moon
October 9 -- Venus (highest), Saturn and Mercury (lower) just above the rising Sun in the East
October 13 -- Saturn has moved closer to Venus in the pre-dawn eastern sky
October 17-25 -- Orionid meteor shower
October 18 -- New Moon
Star Parties
Look below for directions to St. Stephen's Academy and Wild Basin Wilderness. Note that none of these events are official ACC events, so non-students may (And are encouraged to!) attend. St. Stephen's star parties are free, and Wild Basin Wilderness appreciates a small donation to their charitable organization.
As a general guideline, if the sky is more than half cloudy, a star party will not happen.
Star parties for ACC classes:
Directions to St. Stephen's:
From the North -- Go south on Loop 360 from 183 or 2222. Cross over the iron bridge and look to your right. The second light after the bridge is West Lake Drive -- turn right onto West Lake. Follow the curve of West Lake Drive until you reach St. Stephen's Drive. Go down St. Stephen's Drive through the main gate for the academy, then turn right at the stop sign. The next right is a parking lot. Take the right after that onto a road which leads a short way to the observatory.
From the South -- Go north on Loop 360 from 71, 1325 or 2244. Look to your left for West Lake Drive. If you cross the iron bridge, you've gone too far.
Directions to Wild Basin (327-7622):
Warning: Wild Basin Road has nothing to do with Wild Basin Wilderness!
From Ben White Blvd. / Hwy 290 in South Austin:
Take Ben White Blvd west. Take exit to the right for Capital of Texas Hwy. After crossing Bee Caves Road / FM 2244, continue on Loop 360 1 1/4 miles. Wild Basin will be on the right. Enter the shoulder and make a right turn directly onto Wild Basin's driveway. Parking is along the gravel drive leading up to the building.
From 183 / Research Blvd in North Austin:
Take 183 South to Capital of Texas Hwy / Loop 360. Take Loop 360 South. After crossing the Colorado River, continue 3 1/3 miles. Wild Basin will be on the left. Enter the left turn lane and turn across traffic directly onto Wild Basin's driveway. Parking is along the gravel drive leading up to the building.
From Downtown Austin:
Get on Mopac / Loop 1 headed South. After the river, exit for Bee Caves Road and Rollingwood. Turn right (headed west) onto Bee Caves Road and continue through West Lake Hills. At Capital of Texas Hwy / Loop 360, turn right heading north. Proceed 1 1/4 miles. Wild Basin will be on the right. Enter the shoulder and make a right turn directly onto Wild Basin's driveway. Parking is along the gravel drive leading up to the building.
University of Texas Events!
The University of Texas Astronomy Department hosts a variety of stargazing opportunities. There are weekly Star Parties held on UT campus each Wednesday, atop Robert L. Moore Hall. The info line is 471-5007. In addition, there is a great old telescope at Painter Hall, that is open to the public every Saturday, and that UT students can learn to use on their own! The main number for the Astronomy Department is 471-3000. Click on the links above to get more details.
If you're heading out West, you may want to stop by the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. The scenery is gorgeous, and the skies are breathtaking. The Website contains information about tours and special events at the Observatory, so that you can plan your trip! The phone number is (915) 426-3640.
Updated 6/25/09
By James
E. Heath