Madison Astronomical Society

Month: July 2025

  • Who Are We?

    The Madison Astronomical Society was founded in 1935 as a “lay group with the common desire to know more about the mystery of the universe.”

    No special preparation is needed to join the ranks of the MAS. The only requirement is a genuine interest in any phase of astronomical observation or study. Our members are amateurs with skill levels from novice to advanced observers and photographers.

    Beyond their own astronomical pursuits, MAS members actively engage in public outreach, serving as valuable resources for students and teachers. Monthly Society meetings provide an opportunity for members to share their knowledge and insights. The Society continues to pursue its original goal to “promote the science of astronomy and to educate the public in the wonders of the universe.”

    MAS members show off their 4.8.24 eclipse shirts

    For more information about the Society, please contact one of the officers by sending an email to madisonastro.info@gmail.com.

    Board of Directors

    • Laurence Mohr (president)
    • Kevin Santulis (vice-president)
    • Jurgen Patau (treasurer)
    • Dan Hyslop (secretary)
    • David Leiphart (observatory director)
    • Christine Zeltner (at-large director)
    • Martin Mika (at-large director)

    Non-board positions:

    • Jack Fitzmier (Astronomical League liaison and Capitol Skies editor)
    • Christine Zeltner (YRS grounds manager)
    • John Rummel (meeting planner and Society historian)
    • Rick Wayne (outreach coordinator)
    • David Leiphart (webmaster)

    MAS would like to thank Jeff Shokler for maintaining our club website for the last 8 years. Thanks Jeff!

  • History of the Madison Astronomical Society

    • 1950 open house washburn observatory
      September, 1950 MAS meeting at the Washburn Observatory.

      The Madison Astronomical Society has continuously operated as a club for over 90 years. But, like many organizations, we have paid only passing attention to documenting our own history.

      (more…)

  • Club Celebrates 90th!

    MAS 90th anniversary gala
    Gala goers awaiting the go-ahead to start eating.

    On April 5 2025, MAS celebrated its 90th birthday with a grand party we called the Anniversary Gala. The gala was held at the magnificent Usona Institute at Promega Corporation in Fitchburg.

    (more…)

  • MAS Field Trip: Remote Dark Sky Camping in Nebraska

    5 MAS members at campsite in Nebraska
    Bonnie Tiedt, Bob Hamers, John Wunderlin, John Rummel, and Rick Wayne relaxing by the reservoir.

    Over Memorial Day week, 2025, several MAS members made an informal excursion to Nebraska’s Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area for some camping under radically dark skies.

    (more…)

  • Capitol Skies Newsletter

    • As soon as MAS officially formed in early 1935, one of the first things its founders did was establish a newsletter. They recognized the significance of communication with members, the ability to share information, and the creation of a lasting record that would recount the group’s story to future generations. MAS is happy to continue this tradition today with the Capitol Skies. If you would like to be a contributor, contact editor Jack Fitzmier, at madisonastro.info@gmail.com.

      (more…)

  • About MAS

  • Public Events

    All Public Events

  • Edward P. Baillie (1903-2000)

    portrait shot of Edward Baillie

    On January 26th, 2000, the Society lost one of its founding members and guiding spirits, Edward Baillie.

    Ed was one of that small group of individuals who, in 1934-35, created the Madison Astronomical Society as a place where individuals with an interest in astronomy could get together, share their interests, and learn from each other in an informal atmosphere.

    (more…)

  • Next Meeting

  • The Role of Oceans in Earth and Exoplanet Climates

    Friday July 11, 2025, 7:00pm – UW Space Place

    Earth has had an ocean for more than 4 billion years. It likely formed sometime after the beginning of the Hadean Eon (4.6-4 billion years ago) via mantle degassing as the planet cooled. Although we know significantly more about the modern ocean than we do about its deepest past, an ever-growing body of research suggests that the key to understanding the origin and evolution of life on our planet, and perhaps planets elsewhere, may well be hidden in the ocean’s physical and chemical complexities. In this talk, I will give a broad overview of the fundamental role the ocean plays—and has played—in Earth’s history, from the evolution of early life to the climate we know today. In doing so, I will provide a crash course in physical oceanography, and I will draw from this body of knowledge, as well as recent research in my lab, to help us understand how oceans could behave on exoplanets, including their role in modulating climate and habitability.

    Dr. Hannah Zanowski is an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) at UW-Madison. She earned her B.S. in physics and mathematics from the University of Arizona in 2011 and her Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from Princeton University in late 2016. Zanowski uses climate models to do her research, which has three major focuses: present and future Arctic Ocean change, the physical oceanography of the Archean (4-2.5 billion years ago), and ocean circulation and heat transport on exoplanets. She is also the director of the STORM REU, a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded undergraduate summer research program spearheaded by the AOS department in conjunction with the Center for Climatic Research (CCR), the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS). In her free time, Zanowski enjoys doing Muay Thai, spending time in the sun, and grossly overestimating how many native plants she really needs for her yard.

    This meeting will take place in person at our usual Space Place classroom location. It will also be streamed live to our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@madisonastronomicalsociety.