Saint John Astronomy Club

Bringing Astronomy to Southern New Brunswick, Canada

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We are changing Themes on this website. Things may seem a little weird for a while, thanks.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2025 May 10 – May 17

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2025 May 10 – May 17

Current Weekly Sky at a Glance ~by Curt Nason

Current Monthly Calendar

Current Monthly Calendar
Click the pic to enlarge or here for the pdf.

Astronomy Photo of the Week

Here is another image of tonight’s Mineral Moon.

60 Frames taken with Canon R6 Marl II and Sigma 150 – 600mm IS lens

Best 50% centered with PIPP, and stacked with AutoStakkert.

Final image processed with GIMP 2.10
 
 
 

  ~SJAC Meetings~ 

The next meeting of the Saint John Astronomy Club is this Saturday, June 7th at 7 pm in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. If anyone wants to borrow a club telescope contact the Equipment Manager via our website.

 

Members can send images to sjacimages@gmail.com

 

SJAC Library & Equipment Loan Program

Browse the Library of the Saint John Astronomy Club 

Good Messier targets with Binoculars or Telescopes

Get all of the Monthly Messier Objects Here

By Curt Nason.

~Stuff you can use~

Link to the Index of member contributions of the Saint John Astronomy Club.
New or old to Astronomy, you can usually find some useful information in our Members’ Contributions Page. Check out Matt West’s Using Telescope Filters and Mike Powell’s Finders and How to use Them and Equipment Basics.

~New Brunswick Star Parties for 2025~

TBA

 

~Here are some Photos from Fundy StarGaze 2024~

~New Brunswick Star Parties for 2025~

The RASC NB Star Party dates are now posted here

Future Outreach Events

~Every Sunday @ 8pm~

The Sunday Night Astronomy Show

Join us for this week’s episode of the Sunday Night Astronomy Show in our new format.

On Sunday evening at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay. 

Be sure to tune in Sunday evening at 8pm ADT…here on Facebook, and on my YouTube channel

We’ll be live for our one hour program beginning at 8pm ADT. We hope you can join us! 

Past shows can still be seen at Astronomy by the Bay YouTube channel.   

Be sure to tune in with Chris, Paul, and Mike to find out what’s new in Astronomy.

~RASC NB  Horizon Winter 2025  Newsletter~

For past RASC NB Horizon Newsletter 

Click here

SJAC members have Asteroid’s named in their honor 

(20020) Mipach = 1991 VT

Discovery: 1991-11-04 / Y. Mizuno, T. Furuta / Kani / 403

Mike Powell (b. 1960), Paul Owen (b. 1960) and Chris Curwin (b. 1959) are amateur
astronomers in New Brunswick, Canada. Motivated by the coronavirus lockdown to offer online
presentations, they created The Sunday Night Astronomy Show, a live, interactive, informal program
covering observing, equipment and special events. Over 150 editions have been produced.
 
The name “Mipach” was derived from the first 2 initials of their first names.

10052 Nason

Discovered 1987-Sep-16 by Debehogne, H. at La Silla

Jymme Curtis (Curt) Nason (b. 1953) was one of the founders of the
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada New Brunswick Centre in 2000,
and has served as club president and editor.
He has given presentations to various groups and several courses through the
New Brunswick Community College and the University of New Brunswick extended learning program.

 

Messier Marathon List and Guides

Photo of Don Machholz, astronomer, writer and one of the founders of the Messier Marathon.

Above~ Don Machholz, one of the founders of the Messier Marathon which is at optimum during the month of March. Click to view his suggested Messier Marathon Checklist. This is a short and sweet one page guide from March 2000 Sky and Telescope.

Above~ Click to view the Ultimate Messier Object Log in pdf, a comprehensive guide.

 

Link to the CBC Current program on the growing interest in astronomy during the Covid-19 pandemic.Shortages in telescopes, interest in the night sky has increased as Astronomy has revealed itself to be the perfect hobby during a pandemic. ~CBC/The Current/surging interest in Astronomy

Hobby Killers: What Telescopes not to Buy

Link to Sky & Telescope article by Jerry Oltion about what telescopes not to buy.Good article by Jerry Oltion of Sky and Telescope– Hobby Killers: What Telescopes not to Buy. Best universal advice from all sources: Join an astronomy club, attend an Outreach Event or Star Party, ask a few questions and just hang out. Lot easier on the pocketbook and nerves in the long run.

Seeing the Constellations with Different Eyes

Photo depicting the Ojibwe concept of Orion as the Wintermaker who ushers in the cold and wind.

The Obibwe Wintermaker and Hole-in-the-Sky
How other cultures view some of the constellations~by Curt Nason

Neat Planet Rotation Demo

Link to a planet rotation demo via James O’Donoghue and NASA.

Click the pic above to view a neat planet rotation demo Link to a planet rotation demo via James O’Donoghue and NASA. Try it full screen on your desktop.

Explore the Universe Astronomy Course

Class photo of the Explore the Universe astronomy course offered by Curt Nason and the SJAC in 2018The Explore the Universe Course concluded in October 2017 with a great rundown on the life history of a star and an overview of some Deep Sky Objects. This course was offered by Curt Nason and the SJAC, and will be followed up by Night Time Imaging with Paul Owen in November.

 

Photo showing the relative size of our Sun to Planets.

This course was based on the Explore the Universe beginner’s observing program of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). By locating, observing and recording 55 of 110 objects you can receive an Explore the Universe certificate and pin, and you do not have to be a member of the RASC

.Photo showing stargazing with binoculars.

This can be achieved using only your eyes and binoculars, although a small telescope might be required to observe all 110 objects. Although the Course is now over, you can still participate.
What you need:
RASC Explore the Universe Program Requirements.pdf
RASC Fillable Application Form.pdf
Optional~ Explore the Universe Guide Book (2nd Edition)
Overview~RASC RASC.CA/Explore the Universe.
Note: You can view recaps of each  four evenings on our page.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason. 

RASC NB 20th Anniversary Newsletter Edition

Link to the RASC NB Horizon 20th Anniversary Newsletter.See what stargazers in New Brunswick were up to 20 years ago in the RASC NB 20th Anniversary of the Horizon.

Astronomy for Everyone~

SJAC member Mike Powell pointing out some stars at Saints Rest beach in Saint John, NB

SJAC members setting up for public stargazing at Saints Rest beach in Saint John, NB

Photo of telescopes set up at Saints Rest Beach, Saint John, NB, for public viewing.

Telescopes set up at Saints Rest Beach, Saint John, NB

Go for a walk on the beach, have a look at the stars.
Above–telescopes set up at Saints Rest Beach in Saint John for public viewing.  Just check the fb page of Astronomy by the Bay to see if anyone is going on a clear night.

Handy Guide for Star Pronunciation~

Photo showing link to the Star Pronunciation Guide from Space.com

Ever wonder how to pronounce some of the stars? Click to pic above

Making Time Lapse Photographs of the Night Sky~

Tom Raithby’s presentations on Night Time Lapse Photography and Night Time Lapse Photography. Click the pics to view.Presentation of Night Time Lapse Photography by Tom Raithby at the Night Time Imaging Course offered by Paul Owen and the SJAC in 2018.

Making 360° Panoramas of the Night Sky~

Link to a 360° Panorama of the Livingston Lake Star Party in twilight of August 2017

Jim Stewart’s presentation Making 360° Panoramas of the Night Sky at the Photographing the Night Sky series in November, 2017.

Using “Sign Posts” to Navigate the Night Sky~

Using "Sign Posts" to Navigate the Night Sky

Constellations in our night sky can serve as “sign posts”… showing the way to other constellations and objects. One of the best is “The Big Dipper”… in Ursa Major. More…

A different kind of Outreach~

Photo showing an ongoing Facebook Live feed by Astronomy by the Bay.

A Facebook Live feed provides a unique opportunity for people across Canada and the globe to look through telescopes. Chris Curwin from Astronomy by the Bay has been sharing his Facebook Live views since 2017 and the results are astounding. Over 325,000 viewers from April 2017 to June 2019!

Stargazing is Like a Box of Chocolates~by Curt Nason

Photo of the Northern Lights

A memorable line from the movie Forrest Gump compared life to a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. Although the night sky is full of predictable observing targets and events, it is the unexpected treasures that make stargazing so enjoyable.   Continue…

Free Astronomy Workshop Info now Available~

Free Astronomy Workshop # 6
The Free Astronomy Workshop Series in early 2017 proved a success. You can access almost all of the information presented in the Series here in pdf form:
Telescope Basics
Imaging the Moon
Astrophotography~Equipment
Astrophotography~Settings
Astrophotography~Images

Astronomy by the Bay~

A 360° Panorama on a June evening at Saints Rest Beach in Saint John with Astronomy by the Bay
One of the more interesting things you’ll find in Saint John is “that guy on the beach with a telescope” at Saints Rest Beach. Astronomer Chris Curwin practices the art of Sidewalk Astronomy, and calls his efforts Astronomy by the Bay. Above is a 360 panorama of a typical June evening beside the Bay of Fundy.
He clocked an amazing 3.393 people to his scope(s) in 2017, and is often joined by other astronomers. You can check his FB page to see if he is going there tonight, and you can often take a pic with your phone through the scope.  Check out the 2017 Thank You Video from Chris.

Learning the Night Sky Hints

Photo image of the free software program and app Stellarium which assists in navigating and learning the night sky.      Logo of the Heavens Above website that provides information on astronomy and navigating the night sky.

Learning the night sky can be a very rewarding experience… and today more than ever, we have many tools to guide us at our fingertips.  More..

Astronomy Clubs across Canada~

Photograph of the Observatory of the Lethbridge Astronomy Society

Got cabin fever? Housebound? Why not take a trip across Canada and check out a few of the Astronomy Clubs in Canada.

Two Great Reasons to Join the RASC

     

For anyone curious about the night sky, joining the RASC can be a very rewarding experience. You don’t even need a telescope, just your interest. Among other benefits, a yearly Membership includes the well sought after Observer’s Handbook, now in is 109th year, the popular Canadian astronomy magazine SkyNews, and digital access to the bi-monthly Journal of the RASC (login required). The Handbook and SkyNews alone can make membership worthwhile.
             
A portion of the yearly membership fee goes to the Centre of your choice to help finance local activities and education. Our local is RASC NB New Brunswick Centre. If you aren’t sure, or are simply curious, ask someone at your local Astronomy Club to borrow a previous year’s Handbook. You’ll see why it is found in observatory control rooms and astronomers’ reference shelves worldwide.


The SJAC meets the first Saturday of every month @ 7pm in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre in Saint John. The meetings are always informal and are open to anybody interested in talking about Astronomy. All are welcome–no experience necessary!