For a definition of "Dark-Sky Weekend", please see the definition on the Calendar Hotline page.
For the coming few weeks in more detail, see the SJAA Calendar Hotline page.
For a tabular view of the year, see the bottom of this page.
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January
2 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 5:01 pm, 36% moon sets 11:13 pm.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm.
10 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. Ruslan Belikov of
NASA/Ames, Searching For Other Earths
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
16 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 5:15 pm, 58% moon rise 11:57 pm.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm.
16 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. The topic will be
Telescopes & Eyepieces.
17 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 5:16 pm, 48% moon rise 12:57 am.
24 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 5:24 pm, 1% moon rises 6:59 am.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
30 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 5:31 pm, 21% moon sets 10:09 pm.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm.
February
7 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr.Chris McKay of NASA, who
will tell us "What We Have Learned From the Mars Phoenix Lander".
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
This is the Annual Meeting, to elect the Board of Directors.
14 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 5:47 pm, 66% moon rise 11:48 Pm.
20 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 5:53 pm, 12% moon rise 4:59 am.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm.
20 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Jay Freeman speaks
on Binoculars in astronomy.
21 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 5:54 pm, 7% moon rise 5:32 am.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
March
6 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 6:07 pm, 84% moon sets 4:20 am.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm.
6 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm, Topic to be announced.
7 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. Kevin Zahnle of NASA/Ames,
speaking on the Earth After the Moon-Forming Impact
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
8 -Su- 2 am. DST begins. Advance clocks 1 hour.
20 -Fr- Spring begins at 4:44 am, PDT
20 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:20 pm, 25% moon rise 4:30 am.
Star party hours: 8:30 until 11:30 pm.
21 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:21 pm, 17% moon rise 5:01 am.
27 -Fr- Coe has been requested for an additional MM night.
28 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:27 pm, 8% moon sets 10:12 pm.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
This is the recomended weekend for a Messier Marathon.
April
3 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:32 pm, 69% moon sets 3:57 am.
Star party hours: 8:30 until 11:30 pm.
4 -Sa- Auction rehearsal, 6 pm until it all works.
5 -Su- Auction XXIX - Open at noon, selling 1:00 to about 4:00.
In the hall at Houge Park. NOTE: Sunday, daytime.
17 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Pete Santangeli
will speak on imaging for beginners.
17 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:45 pm, 42% moon rises 3:00 am.
Star party hours: 9:00 until midnight.
18 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:46 pm, 33% moon rises 3:28 am.
25 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:52 pm, 2% moon sets 9:07 pm.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
May
1 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:58 pm, 56% moon sets 2:32 am.
Star party hours: 9:00 until midnight
This is also SJAA's observation of Astronomy Day.
9 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. Christopher Mauche (LLNL),
who will speak on The X-ray Universe.
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
15 -Fr- Astronomy Class has been cancelled for this month only. The
class will resume on June 12.
15 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:10 pm, 60% moon rises 1:28 am.
Star party hours: 9:00 until midnight
16 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 8:11 pm, 50% moon rises 1:55 am.
23 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 8:16 pm, Moon is not visible.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
29 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:21 pm, 41% moon sets 1:05 am.
Star party hours: 9:30 until midnight
June
6 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is our own Rod Norden (SJAA)
who will tell us about the Pioneer 10-11 missions
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
12 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
12 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:29 pm, 75% moon rise 11:56 am.
Star party hours: 9:30 until midnight
20 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 8:31 pm, 3% moon rises 4:19 am.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
20 -Sa- Summer begins at 10:45 pm PDT
26 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:32 pm, 26% moon sets 11:35 pm.
Star party hours: 9:30 until midnight
July
11 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Norm Sperling, based on his
new book, "This Book Warps Space and Time".
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
17 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
17 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:27 pm, 19% moon rises 2:03 am.
Star party hours: 9:30 until midnight
18 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 8:26 pm, 11% moon rises 3:01 am.
25 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 8:21 pm, 23% moon sets 10:31 pm.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
AANC Star-B-Q at Fremont Peak State Park
31 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:16 pm, 81% moon sets 2:07 am.
Star party hours: 9:00 until midnight
August
1 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Rob Sigler (Lockheed, retired),
to tell us about Glass-Liquid Apochromats.
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
14 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
14 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 8:00 pm, 33% moon rise 12:47 am.
Star party hours: 9:00 until midnight
15 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:59 pm, 22% moon rises 1:49 am.
22 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:50 pm, 11% moon sets 8:58 pm.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
28 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:42 pm, 68% moon sets 1:53 am.
Star party hours: 8:45 until 11:45 pm
September
5 -Sa- General Meeting. Slide and Equipment night. Latest images,
latest equipment, being made by our members.
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
11 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
11 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:21 pm, 48% moon rise 11:39 pm.
Star party hours: 8:15 until 11:15 pm
12 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:19 pm, 36% moon rise 12:44 am.
19 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 7:09 pm, 2% moon sets 7:25 pm.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
22 -Tu- Autumn begins at 2:19 pm PDT
25 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 7:00 pm, 49% moon sets 11:40 pm.
Star party hours: 8:00 until 11:00 pm
October
3 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. Bradford Holden of
Lick Observatory, on The Physical Evolution of Massive Galaxies
9 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
9 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 6:39 pm, 62% moon rise 10:37 pm.
Star party hours: 7:30 until 10:30 pm
10 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 6:37 pm, 51% moon rise 11:56 pm.
17 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 6:28 pm, 0% moon rises 7:57 am.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
23 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 6:20 pm, 33% moon sets 10:26 pm.
Star party hours: 7:15 until 10:15 pm
November
1 -Su- 2 am. DST ends. Set clocks back 1 hour.
6 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 5:05 pm, 77% moon rises 8:38 pm.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm
6 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
7 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 5:04 pm, 66% moon rises 9:50 pm.
14 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 4:58 pm, 2% moon rises 5:48 am.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
20 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 4:54 pm, 17% moon sets 8:13 pm.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm
28 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. To B. Announced.
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
29 -Su- Will there be a Fall Swap? Where?
December
11 -Fr- Houge Park star party. Sset 4:50 pm, 16% moon rises 3:39 am.
Star party hours: 7:00 until 10:00 pm
11 -Fr- Astronomy Class at Houge Park. 7:30 pm. Topic to be announced.
12 -Sa- Dark-Sky weekend. Sset 4:51 pm, 9% moon rises 4:43 am.
Henry Coe Park's "Astronomy" lot has been reserved.
19 -Sa- General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. To B. Announced.
Board meeting at 6:30; General Meeting at 8:00
21 -Mo- Winter begins at 9:47 am PST
Tabular format:
SJAA Calendar for 2009
Base version approved by Board of Directors 2008 May 17
Changes inserted as data comes available.
NOTES:
General meeting dates jump to end of
month about every 3 years. This is the year.
Print this with a M*O*N*O*S*P*A*C*E*D font for column alignment.
General Houge Park Astro Dark-sky
2009 Meeting Star Party Class Star Party
January 10 2, 16, 30 16 17, 24c
February 7 20 20 14s, 21c
March 7 6, 20 6 21, 28c
April (4),5$ 3, 17 17 18, 25c
May 9 1=,15, 29 15 16s, 23c
June 6 12, 26 12 20c
July 11 17, 31 17 18, 25mc
August 1 14, 28 14 15s, 22c
September 5 11, 25 11 12s, 19c
October 3 9, 23 9 10s, 17c
November 28, 29* 6, 20 6 7s, 14c
December 19 11 11 12c
$ Auction: Sunday, April 5, replaces a general meeting.
Board meeting on 4th, along with rehearsal for the Auction.
= AANC Astronomy Day is May 2. Use Houge Public on May 1.
* Fall Swap, Nov.29, Sunday. Also: general meeting 28th.
Dark-Sky notations --
s Short -- at least 3 hours, but less than 5. (Zeiders' Rule)
Third quarter: longer than 5 hours. (Zeiders' Rule)
m Moony (1Q). Moon sets not more than 2.5 hours after twilight
c SJAA will reserve the Coe parking lot as a service to the local
astronomy community. No SJAA event is planned unless one is
specifically listed in the calendar.
OTHER dates and events --
Messier Marathon - March 28 per Don Machholz book
DST start -- Mar. 8 at 2 am, advance to 3 am.
Easter ----- Apr.12 (school vacations week before or after)
TAX day ---- Apr.15, Wednesday
RTMC ------- May 22-25, new moon on 24th.
GSSP ------- June 20 - 24, new moon on 22nd. See
http://www.goldenstatestarparty.org.
CAL-STAR --- September 17 - 19, new moon on 18th. See
http://www.observers.org/CalStar/ .
Yosemite --- July 17-18. For details and procedures, see
http://www.sjaa.net/school/yosemite.htm.
Star-B-Q --? July 25 at Fremont Peak State Park
DST end ---- Nov. 1 at 2 am, retard clocks to 1 am.
GENERAL MEETINGS - Meetings will jump to end of month late in
2009. Note 8 weeks between Oct.3 and Nov.28. If Halloween
wasn't on Saturday, we could insert an extra meeting.
December is moved up a week to avoid day after Christmas.
ASTRONOMY CLASS - Moonless Houge star party dates except the
April 6 for moon class.
HOUGE Public star parties - Jump in Feb, July, December.
Skip December 25.
Last updated: 2009 July 2, 1153 hours, pct