Welcome to the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association's Night Sky Network page. The TAAA has something for astronomers at all levels. Read on to learn more or visit our web page. Details for our public events can be found on our calendar.
Our General Meetings are held on the first Friday of each month and are open to the public. The public may attend through our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy). Each meeting begins at 6:30pm and includes a lecture by an Invited Speaker and other presentations.
Beginners will be interested in the Astronomy Fundamentals Special Interest Group (AFSIG). The AFSIG has a monthly meeting and hosts a monthly star party at our TIMPA observing site.
Any member interested in astro-imaging is invited to participate in the Astro-Imaging Special Interest Group (AISIG) activites. Monthly AISIG meetings give members the opportunity to share their techniques and their images with others. There is no requirement that AISIG members have astrophotography equipment - some members attend just to see the shared images.
The TAAA has an active outreach program supporting star parties at area schools, churches, community events, and resorts. We frequently have Star Parties at National Parks, State Parks and County Parks in the Tucson area. In a typical month we have around 20 star parties.
The Starry Messengers Special Interest Group (SMSIG) gives direction to our outreach programs. The SMSIG meets every other month to plan activities for our community events and to share our experiences and tips for interacting with the public. The Starry Messengers also helps coordinate the Library Telescope program with libraries in both Pima and Cochise counties.
In addition to our Special Interest Groups, TAAA membership has many other benefits. The foremost benefit are friendships that are sparked by our shared interest. Observing buddies make great friends! Check out our website for more about benefits of membership.
We have two observing locations. The previously mentioned TIMPA site is west of Tucson about 30 minutes from downtown Tucson. Our Chiricahua Astronomy Complex site is located in Cochise County near Sunsites, AZ, about a 90 minute drive from downtown Tucson.
The TAAA is associated with the Night Sky Network, the Astronomical League, and the International Dark-sky Association. Our location in Tucson allows us to partner with professional astronomy organizations such as Kitt Peak/NOIRLab, the University of Arizona Steward Observatory and UA Lunar & Planetary Lab, the UA Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, and others. We participate in activites with these organizations and many TAAA members volunteer for these organizations.
TAAA Membership: Anyone interested in astronomy can join the TAAA. Telescope ownership is optional. You can join using our online application. (Sorry, we do not accept membership applications directly through the Night Sky Network website.)
