News 2011: UMass Dartmouth Observatory Open House is March 5

News 2011: UMass Dartmouth Observatory Open House is March 5
UMass Dartmouth Observatory Open House is March 5

The UMass Dartmouth Observatory staff and the Astronomical Society of Southern New England (ASSNE) invite the public to a FREE night-sky viewing sessions on the following dates: March 5, 2011, 7 p.m. April 2, 2011, 8 p.m. April 30, 2011, 8:30 p.m. Viewing will take place through the Observatory's 16-inch telescope and other telescopes operated by ASSNE members.

The UMass Dartmouth Observatory staff and the Astronomical Society of Southern New England (ASSNE) invite the public to a FREE night-sky viewing sessions on the following dates: 

March 5, 2011, 7 p.m. 
April 2, 2011, 8 p.m. 
April 30, 2011, 8:30 p.m. 

Viewing will take place through the Observatory's 16-inch telescope and other telescopes operated by ASSNE members. 

These events will take place only if weather permits (clear skies). In the event of cancellation, an announcement will be available each Saturday around 5 PM at www.assne.org or by calling (508) 999-8715 for a recorded message. 

The Observatory is located in the field to the right of the main entrance to UMass Dartmouth off Old Westport Rd., North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Parking is available in designated spaces on the campus Ring Road or in lot 17.  Admission is free, but donations to support the Observatory's educational programs are strongly encouraged. Children are welcome, if accompanied by an adult. 

The Astronomical Society of Southern New England is a non-profit club of amateur astronomers who serve Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts with educational outreach programs and public viewing. ASSNE assists UMass Dartmouth in operating the University Observatory and telescope for public viewings. The ASSNE motto is "To Educate and Inspire." For more information about the Astronomical Society of Southern New England, check online at http://www.assne.org/. 

For more information about the UMass Dartmouth Observatory contact Prof. Alan Hirshfeld at ahirshfeld@umassd.edu or 508-999-8715. 
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ASTRONOMY WEB SITE OF THE MONTH: 

With the Sun's surface re-entering its periodic active phase, after several years of extreme quiet, astronomers are again focusing their attention on sunspots, solar flares and other outbursts from our home star. For up-to-the-minute news about solar activity as well as solar-induced Earth phenomena like auroras, go the internet site Spaceweather at http://spaceweather.com/ . There are amazing images and videos of explosive events on the Sun viewed by a variety of spacecraft. You can also sign up for aurora alerts (careful, they might call in the middle of the night!) or download a satellite tracking app to your cell phone.