The Yakima Astronomical Society serves the Central Washington State area of the USA. The original Yakima Valley Astronomy Club was formed in January 1990 by Mac Knight and Larry Bresson. In January 2003, the name was changed to Yakima Astronomical Society. The original group grew out of a mirror grinding class Mac and Larry put on at the Hoover Elementary School, using funds from the Ridgeview PTA. The club evolved from there and now has about 15 to 20 active members.

The YAS is active in the Yakima community, putting on public observing sessions at various times during the year and bringing there telescopes out for the public at special astronomical events. We start observing in March with our Messier Marathon. Print our Messier check sheet for help in observing these objects. See our schedule in the News & Events section for our Public Observing Sessions during the Spring, Summer and Fall months. Enjoy our Clear Sky Clock, and Weather link for Yakima on this page. If you are interested in astronomy and would like to observe the night sky, read the next paragraph on how to begin your celestial journey.

Many of you may want to enjoy the splendor of the night sky and learn more about where the constellations and planets are located. Begin your journey with binoculars or naked eye and a simple planisphere (Yakima is 46° North) or a Planetarium program for your computer. Try Sky & Telescope's Interactive Sky Chart or Getting Started in Astronomy. As you become more acute in your night time studies, a good star atlas, such as Sky Atlas 2000 can be helpful, along with a red flashlight. The Astronomical League Observing Clubs are a good place to start if you're looking for a list of things to observe. Visit Sky & Telescope's observing page for fun things to look at during this week.

YAS is affiliated with the Astronomical League. Click on there blue logo for a visit with this national organization for amateur astronomers. Club members get together during the year for viewing sessions with their telescopes and attend many of the regional star parties. Amateur astronomers come from all walks of life and we have had the very young to senior citizens at our observing sessions. If you have an interest in astronomy or have a telescope and want to learn more about it, come join us. The YAS also maintains a library of astronomy books for club members to enjoy and use.

I hope you enjoy the new look to our club web page. As the club grows in serving the local interest in amateur astronomy, this web page will keep everyone updated on the latest activities involving astronomy in the Yakima area. I have included some additional sites in the Links Map of interesting and fun things to see and do with astronomy. We also have a pull-down JavaScript menu below with Northwest astronomy clubs and links. The light background color of the webpage is called Cosmic Latte, it is the average color of our universe.

See below for the date of our next meeting. If you would like to receive our free electronic newsletter, send your name and email address to our Newsletter Editor. Contact President, Martin Dukeshire or Secretary/Treasurer, Lea Welch for additional information about the Yakima Astronomical Society.

Club Officers	Name	Telephone	Email Address
President	Martin Dukeshire	(509) 574-5041
Secretary	Lea Welch	(509) 966-8422
Newsletter	Larry Ovall	(509) 966-3584
ALCor	Bruce Perrault	(509) 678-4379

Public Observing for 2008 Total Lunar Eclipse (Moon) February 20th - 5:30 to 10:30 pm Totality is from 7:00 to 7:51 pm Place - Randall Park. Partly cloudy skies, but the eclipse was viewable. Astronomy Day - May 10th Time - 7:00 pm to Midnight Place - Randall Park Pasture We will hold a public observing session to view the Sun, Moon, Mars and Saturn. Mars Exploration Programs Saturn Cassini-Huygens Mission JPL Amateur Astronomy

Yakima Astronomical Society Next Club Meeting June 19th. We will hold the next club meeting on Thursday, June 19th at the home of EC and Lea Welch. Anyone who has an interest in amateur astronomy is invited to attend. Pizza at 6:30 pm and meeting at 7:00 pm. Note: We will not hold a club meeting in May. Bright Planets This Month Jupiter rises in the East in early morning Mars is in the Southwest after Sunset Saturn is in the South after Sunset Venus rises ahead the Sun now

Click on the Sky Chart for additional information about how it works.

Northwest Astronomy Clubs & Links -----> Astronomical Society of the Pacific Battle Point Astronomical Association Boeing Employees Astronomical Society Boise Astronomical Society Central Washington University Astronomy Club Dark Skies Northwest - IDA Eastside Astronomical Society Eugene Astronomical Society Everett Astronomical Society Fraser Valley Astronomers Society Goldendale Observatory Island County Astronomical Society Klickitat County Star Party Magic Valley Astronomical Society Manastash Ridge Observatory Maple Valley Astronomical Society Mt Bachelor Star Party NightSky 45 Astronomy Club North West Astronomy Group N.W.R.A.L. Olympic Astronomical Society OMSI - Portland, Oregon Oregon Star Party Orion Nebula Star Party Palouse Astronomical Society Pine Mountain Observatory Rattlesnake Mountain Observatory Rose City Astronomers Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Seattle Astronomical Society Sidewalk Astronomers Southern Oregon Skywatchers Spokane Astronomical Society Squak Mountain Telescope Gang Table Mountain Star Party Tacoma Astronomical Society Tri-City Astronomy Club UW - Astronomy Department Whatcom Association of Celestial Observers WSU - Astronomy Department

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The Yakima Astronomical Society webpage is maintained by Bruce Perrault
The last update to this page was made Friday, April 18, 2008.
Visit my astronomy webpage - The Cowiche Astronomer



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