The Amateur Astronomers Group is located in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The majority of our members are from South Central New Mexico. We are comprised of amateur astronomers with a variety of backgrounds and experience levels. Our group primarily supports Oliver Lee State Park and the New Mexico Museum of Space History with their astronomy events along with other local outreach
opportunities. The group actively supports Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education activities in southern New Mexico and west Texas. The membership ranges from beginners to highly advanced individuals conducting scientific research. We welcome everyone, especially families and youngsters. Telescopes
NOT required. Best of all membership is FREE! |
CURRENT SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Schedule of Night Sky Programs 2019For information call: 575-437-8284 |
Program Name: Star Party
Date(s): June 8, 2019 Time: 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm Location: Meet at the Group Shelter
Description: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and the Amateur Astronomers Group will host a star party featuring night sky objects. A five day-old waxing crescent Moon graces the western sky.
For information call: 575-437-8284
Program Name: Jupiter and its Moons
Date(s): July 6, 2019 Time: 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm Location: Meet at the Group Shelter
Description: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and the Amateur Astronomers Group will host a star party featuring the king of the planets-Jupiter. To ancient Babylonians, the object represented their god Marduk; the Greeks visualized it as Zeus. Galileo would launch modern astronomy in 1610 with his telescopic observations and the discovery of its system of moons. Learn why NASA and the ESA are targeting the planet and its moons with robotic spacecraft launching in the 2020's. Scorpio is prominent to the south and a four day-old waxing crescent Moon graces the western sky.
For information call: 575-437-8284
Program Name: Saturn: Time and Agriculture
Date(s): August 3, 2019 Time: 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm Location: Meet at the Group Shelter
Description: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and the Amateur Astronomers Group will host a star party featuring a tour of Saturn and its beautiful rings. Though many times the size of Earth, Saturn would float in a large bathtub like a beach ball due to its low density. View the home galaxy, the Milky Way, from our dark sky spot and view deep sky objects through telescopes. A three day-old waxing crescent Moon graces the western sky. Don't forget about our beautiful Oliver Lee sunsets.
For information call: 575-437-8284
Program Name: Our Place in Space
Date(s): September 28, 2019 Time: 6:45 pm to 9:30 pm Location: Meet at the Group Shelter
Description: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and the Amateur Astronomers Group will host a star party featuring a the Milky Way galaxy. Ancient people of east Asia saw the Milky Way as a silverly river in the sky, Galileo- using his telescope could see the haze as vast numbers of individual stars. Philosophers and astronomers viewed it as "the universe" well into the 20th century. Learn how the work of astronomers like Herber Curtis and Edwin Hubble changed our view of our place in space starting in the 1920's. Dress appropriately for a cool autumn evening.
For information call: 575-437-8284
Program Name: Cygnus and Lyra
Date(s): October 26, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm Location: Meet at the Group Shelter
Description: Oliver Lee Memorial State Park and the Amateur Astronomers Group will host a star party on a moonless night featuring the constellations of Cygnus the Swan and Lyra (Harp). Cygnus is sometimes referred to as the Northern Cross and contains wisps of a supernova remanent. See corpses of one great stars now known as planetary nebula (Messier 27 and 57). The Milky Way, Jupiter and Saturn still rein the sky. Mercury will be visible shortly after sunset in the western sky. Come early and dress warmly for a beautiful Dog Canyon sunset.
For information call: 575-437-8284
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OTHER EVENTS
in south-central New Mexico
with the
Amateur Astronomers Group
Schedule of Programs 2019 |
Program Name: Mercury Transit
Date(s): November 11, 2019 Time: TBD am to TDB pm Location: TBD
Description: The Amateur Astronomers Group will host a special daytime star party on Veteran's Day to view the transit of Mecury across the face of our Sun. Transits only occur when the Earth is aligned with a node of Mercury's orbit - the next occurs in November 2032. See the enormous size difference between a planet and the Sun! Stay tuned for Details
For information call: 575-437-8284
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Check out which constellations are currently up in the sky with the AAG SkyViewer
