Madison Astronomical Society

  • Next Meeting

    • Holiday Party and Telescope Clinic

      Friday, Dec 12, 2025, 7:00 PM – UW Space Place

      MAS December meeting graphic. Xmas tree and telescopes

      Our December meeting is our annual “telescope clinic” where we invite anyone to bring their troublesome or confusing telescopes to the meeting. Our members will assist you in understanding how they work and diagnosing (and even fixing) any problems you’ve encountered. Also, refreshments!

      (more…)

    • Aurora Through Clouds?

      Photograph of red aurora shining through clouds: Timothy Hughes. timothyhughes.com.
      credit: Tim Hughes.

      When the aurora borealis is going off, clouds are almost always the spoiler. But is it possible to see the aurora through the clouds?

      Obviously you can see the northern lights through breaks in the clouds. When skies are mostly cloudy, every hole becomes an astronomer’s friend. Holes allow us brief glimpses of the heavens—planets, deep sky objects—for fleeting intervals as a cloud deck drifts overhead.

      (more…)

    All Astro News

    • Beginning Astronomy Guide

      Craig Jewell head shot

      by Craig Jewell

      When most people think of astronomy, they think of a telescope on a tripod on a clear night, where everything they look at is brilliant and in focus. That’s an ideal image, but it doesn’t necessarily happen the first time you set up your telescope and step outside. There’s much to learn along the way, and it can be awe inspiring and wondrous! And it shouldn’t start with spending money and getting frustrated. You can learn about the night sky from other people. Many of the tools don’t cost much, and you may already have them.

      (more…)

    All MAS News

  • MAS Member Photos