Join us on Saturday Sept. 13th at 6:30pm for the next MAS Beginner Group outdoor observing session. It will be held at Metcalf Field at Belwin Conservancy, near Afton. Sunset will be at 7:27pm that evening.
This event is weather dependent. If Saturday night is forecasted to be cloudy, the backup night with be the prior Friday Sept. 12th at 6:30pm. So, if you are planning to attend, please respond here or drop me an e-mail at
c3VyZXNoa3MxIHwgbXNuICEgY29t so I can keep you informed of changes due to weather.
There is no charge to attend an MAS Beginner group event, and you do not need to be an MAS member to attend -- everyone is welcome, including children. The purpose is to help beginners learn the night sky, and to learn how to set up and use a telescope. Volunteers from the MAS will be on hand to answer your questions and show you objects thru their own telescopes. We typically have around 50-60 attendees, with 25-30 telescopes of all types set up across the field.
Bringing a telescope to the event is optional, but if you have one, bring it!! If you need help with learning how to set up and use it, we are happy to help. There is AC power available at Metcalf Field on the north and east sides, so if you need power to run your telescope or other equipment, just bring an extension cord so you can connect. There is also a porta potty on the east side of the field.
The Moon will be near 3rd Qtr, and will be 58% illuminated this night. It won't rise after 10:30pm, affording us a few hours of darkness, with which to explore the Milky Way and its deep sky objects. But once the Moon does clear the trees in the east we will take a look at its amazing craters, particularly those in the far southern regions.
As darkness falls around 8:30pm, we will start by exploring the Summer Milky Way which will be high overhead and in the southwest. There are many nebulae to view here, including the Lagoon (M8), Trifid (M20), Eagle (M16), Swan (M17), Dumbbell (M27), Crescent (NGC 6888) and Veil (NGC 6960/6992) nebulas. Some of the finest globular clusters visible from the northern hemisphere are also visible this time of year, including M2, M4, M13, M15, M22 and M92. If you like star clusters, the Butterfly (M6), Ptolemy's (M7), Wild Duck Cluster (M11) and Sagittarius Star Cloud (M24) will be visible after dark, as will be many other clusters embedded in the Milky Way overhead. The famous Pleiades (M45) star cluster will also clear the trees in the east by around 10pm. And if you like galaxies, the Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33) galaxies will be high up in the eastern sky as darkness falls.
Saturn will be just a week away from opposition this night and will be visible in the east after dark. The Ringed Planet passed its equinox last March, and its thin rings were nearly invisible. But they are now visible once again through our telescopes, though they are still narrow. About a degree or so northeast of Saturn lies Neptune. We will also seek out that distant blue world and its mysterious moon Triton.
So come join us!! As usual, we will have the goodie table!! Feel free to bring something to share, such as cookies or other treats. This is totally optional, and no one should feel obligated to do so.
If you are planning to come, please bring a lawn chair or blanket and a few extra layers of clothing, as case temps will likely dip overnight.
Directions to Metcalf Field: (see this Google Maps link):
https://goo.gl/maps/ UNkt67YPWg4qAjuP6
Metcalf Field GPS Coordinates: 44.93734 N / 92.82157 W
For more information on Metcalf Field, see here:
http://www.mnastro.org/ facilities/metcalf/
Driving Directions: Head east past Woodbury on I-94 to the Manning exit (exit 253). Turn south and then take the first left onto Hudson Road S. Continue east about 1.5 miles and turn right onto Indian Trail. Check your odometer here and then travel 1.1 miles. You'll see an unmarked chain-link gate on the right side. This is the entrance to Metcalf field. Enter the dirt path and park on the left side. There will be 2 small reflectors on poles and a larger white MAS sign marking the entrance. If you have a telescope with you, you can also park on the right (north side) of the field.
If you haven't been to Metcalf Field, it can be a little difficult to locate the entrance. So please plan on arriving in daylight.
I plan on making the Go/No Go call weather call the evening of Thursday Sept. 11th. As mentioned, if Saturday night is forecasted to be cloudy, we may reschedule this event to Friday night if the weather prospects are better. So please e-mail me at
c3VyZXNoa3MxIHwgbXNuICEgY29t to stay informed. If you have any issues finding Metcalf Field, you can call my cell at 612-910-0444.
Also, if you'd like to volunteer to help out at this or any future Beginner group events, please let me know!
We hope to see you there!!
Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Afton.
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