General Meeting for October 13^th 2017.

Kevin Salwach will be speaking about this day in astronomy history, covering some of astronomy’s notable figures.

Kevin Salwach is a councillor-at-large with the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers, and has been a member of the club for almost a decade. Kevin first discovered his love of the cosmos at McMaster’s McCallion Planetarium in winter 2008, and after seeing Saturn through Jim Wamsley’s telescope at an HAA public night the following spring, he was hooked for life. An avid amateur astronomer, pilot, hunter and trapper, Kevin can frequently be found observing the stars from the balcony of his apartment in downtown Hamilton or enjoying the great outdoors in the forests of Flamborough and Dundas.

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The latest issue of the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers Event Horizon newsletter is now available for download!

In this issue you’ll find…

• Letters From HAA Club Members
• HAA Elections Notice
• Book Reviews
• The Totally Awesome Total Eclipse
• Public Outreach Gallery
• Fall 2017 Calendar of Events
• Upcoming McCallion Planetarium Shows
• Upcoming Events

Download the latest issue or visit the newsletters section for past issues.

Photo credit: Solar Eclipse 2017 by Bruce Pawlett

General Meeting for September 8^th 2017.

If you’re considering becoming a new member of the HAA then this is the perfect general meeting to attend. Our chair, Bernie Venasse will be covering what new members can expect from the HAA. For existing members, Bernie will continue with HAA events of recent past, what is happening now and what is coming in the near future. Come join us this Friday for a fun evening and the sharing of our passion for everything cosmic!

Bernie Venasse is the HAA’s Chairman and has been an active astronomer since the days of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. He is an active member of the British Astronomical Association, The International Dark Sky Association, the Astronomical League and Astronomers without Borders.

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On Monday August 21, 2017 a partial solar eclipse will be visible from Hamilton and surrounding areas. This is a wonderful opportunity to see a rare and spectacular natural event. The eclipse will last over 2½ hours, changing in appearance throughout that time, with the greatest amount of the Sun being eclipsed at 2:31 pm. At that time about 76% of the Sun will be blocked.

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Join Us – All Welcome for the Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Event this August 12, 2017

Free Admission

Watch the Perseids meteor shower with the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers at the Binbrook Conservation Area from 8 to 11 p.m. on Saturday August 12. Admission is free so bring the whole family for a fun evening under the stars! There will also be a meteorite display, night sky tour and members will set-up their telescopes for observing celestial objects.

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The Hamilton Amateur Astronomers’ very own John Gauvreau will be speaking at Hamilton & Grimsby Public Libraries between July and October. Well worth checking out, John covers a wide range of astronomical topics both informative and entertaining.

Be sure to visit an event near you!

• Thursday July 13 – 2:30pm – Terryberry Library.  Kids show.
• Friday July 28 – 2:30pm – Red Hill Library.  Kids show.
• Wednesday August 9 – 2:30pm – Barton Library.  Kids show.
• Monday September 18 – 6pm – Saltfleet Library.  General audience.  ‘The Past, Present and Future of Planet 9’
• Tuesday September 19 – 7pm – Grimsby Library.  General audience.  ‘Tour of the Universe’
• Thursday September 21 – 7pm – Terryberry Library.  TBA (I’m not doing this talk, Bernie is)
• Thursday September 28 – 7pm – Turner Park Library.  General audience.  ‘The Past, Present and Future of Planet 9’
• Thursday October 5 – 7pm – Westday Library. General audience.  ‘The Past, Present and Future of Planet 9’

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Public Solar Observing Event at Confederation Park, June 24^th

Join the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers at Confederation Park for an evening of solar viewing. Fun and educational for the whole family, club members will be on-hand to answer cosmic questions. Telescopes will be setup to view our closest star through.
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The Hamilton Amateur Astronomers will have solar eclipse glasses available at upcoming events between now and the August 21^st event. Please be sure to visit the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers at one of our stargazing events and grab yourself a pair. If you have questions about the upcoming solar eclipse, be sure to ask! Our club members are happy to share their experience and offer tips for great viewing.

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The latest issue of the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers Event Horizon newsletter is now available for download!

In this issue you’ll find…

• The Sky For Summer 2017
• Letters From BASEF Winners
• May 2017 General Meeting Summary
• Upcoming Events & McCallion Planetarium Shows
• Eye Candy

Download the latest issue or visit the newsletters section for past issues.

Photo credit: Crescent Moon by John Gauvreau.

General Meeting for June 9^th 2017.

With space exploration making it’s way back to public interest with the recent flyby of Pluto, new Chinese space stations, talk of manned missions to Mars, top-secret US Air Force space planes and private companies like SpaceX making leaps and bounds in rocket technology, we often overlook the men and women behind​ the shiny rockets and high tech space probes. Join Kevin as he counts down his list of the 10 Most Influential People in space history – the scientists, engineers, politicians, and of course the astronauts themselves, who’s efforts have resulted in the success of humanity’s journey from home to explore the cosmos.
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