LINKS WE LOVE
Clear Sky Chart - The astronomer's forecast tool for the US, Mexico, Canada and the Bahamas. Each sky chart displays data over the next 48 hours and gives a color coded display for predicted cloud cover, transparency, seeing, darkness, wind, humidity and temperature.
Heavens Above - Your go-to site for satellite and ISS passes, Hubble sightings, and Iridium flares. The website also provides general information on astronomy and features an interactive sky chart and a new solar eclipse page.
Astronomical League - The umbrella organization of amateur astronomical societies. If you are looking for your local astro club, look no further than the AL's over 240 organizations across the United States. As a member of an AL supported society, take part in the many observing programs offered and stay up to date on activities via their events calendar.
International Dark Sky Association & Texas Chapter of the IDA - The mission of the IDA and its chapters is to work to protect and preserve the night skies. They work to educate of the public and their outreach efforts can be felt across the US and as far away as Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Austin Astronomical Society - Capital city's very own amateur astronomy club. It is 48 years old and going strong with over 600 members. Meetings take place on the second Friday of each month on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Public star parties occur monthly at their Eagle Eye Observatory right off the banks for Lake Buchanan.
Astromart & Cloudy Nights - My personal favorite go-to astronomy sites for classified postings. These two websites and their subsequent postings pages provide a plethora of for sale items from eye pieces to equatorial mounts, barlows to binoculars. You can also post "wanted" ads in the hopes of snagging that one thing you cannot find online. Astromart does charge a small $15 per year fee to access their classifieds, however it is a small price to pay to find that right thing at an even more right price.
Texas Star Party - One of the world's largest star parties. TSP takes place in May in the high desert of the Davis Mountains. It draws, on average, 450 guests annually for the one week gathering. Three levels of observing fields yield a bortle 2 sky just 16 miles down the mountain from the famed McDonald Observatory.
Sleepopolis - One of the most stunning info-graphic of The Constellations and Their Brightest Stars. This is a link we were introduced to by a pubic library Children's STEM Club.
Do you know a stellar astronomy website that needs to be on our list? Please feel free to share this information with us in the CONTACT portion of our website.