With Astronomer Dean Regas for WCAS Members
WCAS presents online classes with professional astronomer Dean Regas to help our members grow in our shared astronomy hobby.
Who Is Dean Regas?
Dean Regas is a Cincinnati-based astronomer, public speaker, author, and podcaster who brings the complicated universe down to Earth for audiences of all ages. He’s a big supporter of WCAS and other local astronomy groups.
He has generously offered this way for you to attend his online classes without paying the fees he otherwise charges the public.
The classes are announced to members in advance with instructions on how to obtain the access code to attend each live session online.
The Fall Sky, Oct. 15, 2024
We had a fun Fall Sky class last night. If you couldn’t attend or want to watch it again it is available for you in two parts.
Replay The Night Sky Class >
Extras and How to Use a Sky Map
I’ve also attached some star charts for closeup views including deep space objects to look for. (We covered more than 30 things from my 100 Things book, not too bad for an hour).
Remember to look for shapes, not pictures up there.
Replay the Extras and How to Use a Sky Map >
Notes from Dean
A big thank you to Vannessa Gressieux from https://noirlab.edu/public/ for moderating. I can’t wait to visit Kitt Peak again outside Tucson, AZ.
Keep up to date with special space events on my website and social media. And I have more online classes coming up.
Get outside to watch the Supermoon rise tonight, look for the comet (see attached chart), and hopefully some more northern lights this season.
Hope to see you again soon,
Keep Looking Up!
Dean Regas, Your Astronomer
Host of the Looking Up podcast
Supermoons
August 10, 2024
We had a fun class last night to talk about the Supermoon and Lunar Eclipse. If you couldn’t attend or want to watch it again, it is available for you at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tfZa52Pb62vzLCQXEzxx68xvJcKXbckU/view
A few events to look for:
September 17: Full Harvest Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse
Look for the full Moon rising in the east as the Sun sets. The partial eclipse will run from 10:12-11:15pm Eastern Daylight Time. Look for the shadow of the Earth to just barely appear on the top side of the Moon.
I hope to do a live webcast of this from the Grand Canyon. Tune in to my Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/YourAstronomer/
October 16: My Super-est, Supermoon. Closest full Moon of the year. Look for it rising in the east as the sun sets in the west. And I’m hosting a Supermoon viewing party at Ault Park in Cincinnati that night.
Supermoon, aka Harvest Moon, aka full moon, rising in the east over the Fred Bay Observatory on Oct. 17.
November 27: The Moon Occults (blocks) the bright star Spica (again)
For Cincinnati, the occultation begins at 5:30am with Spica staying blocked until about 6:39am. Details: https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20241127_16_100
December 15: The Northernmost Full Moon Rise. This happens only every 19 years and was marked by the ancient Octagon Earthworks in Newark, Ohio: https://hopewellearthworks.org/site/octagon-earthworks/
Finally, the Space Station will pass over the Tristate this week.
Cincinnati Area (Your time may vary based on your location)
• September 11: 9:35-9:39pm, face west
• September 12: 8:48-8:54pm, moving southwest to northeast
• September 13: 9:38-9:42pm, face northwest
• September 14: 8:49-8:55pm, face northwest
Lots to get outside to look for. I hope you enjoyed the class and will join me for more coming up. Look for the full schedule coming out at:
Keep Looking Up!
Dean Regas, Your Astronomer
Host of the Looking Up podcast