Mission Statement, and More About the AAAP:  
 

The mission of the Mingo Creek Park Observatory is to educate and make freely available to a diverse public of all ages programs on astronomy and the preservation of dark skies.

Current programs and activities:

The AAAP currently has monthly star parties from May-October for the public at Wagman Observatory, and the proposed observatory site at Mingo Creek Park.  The club also annually hosts Winterfest at Wagman observatory, and the Laurel Highlands Star Cruise in Hazelton WV.  In addition to public star parties, the club conducts private star parties and lectures for scouts, schools, and other civic groups that contact them.  The club also participates in local community events such as the Western Pennsylvania Field Institutes Outdoor Expo, and Astronomy Weekend held at the Carnegie Science Center.  Members set up various displays and educate the public on various astronomy related issues.  Many members of the club also regularly volunteer to give lectures to students in various school districts about astronomy.     

AAAP Current Educational Activities:

The AAAP was founded in 1929, with the purpose of:
'Promoting the science of astronomy to the public'.

To help meet our goal of public education in the Pittsburgh and surrounding Western Pennsylvania region, we have conducted free public lectures on astronomy at various venues including Border’s Books, Beechwood Farms Nature Center, Frick Environmental Center, and many local civic organizations including libraries, church, and youth groups.

We participate in the annual ‘Astronomy Weekend’ activities at the Carnegie Science Center, and give free public starparties at various regional parks throughout the spring and summer seasons.  Our centerpiece of AAAP public activities is the club’s Nicholas E Wagman Observatory.  We average about 20 public starparties per year, and since 1987, we have had over 40,000 visitors to facility.  During these starparties, the public can look thru both observatory telescopes, and tour the building.  Inside the visitor’s room, at the welcome desk, we have free astronomy related handouts, such as “Star & Planet Finders”, and “Getting Started in Astronomy” booklets for our public guests.  Dozens of AAAP members setup their own personal telescopes for the public to view celestial objects.  Additionally, club members will give informal lectures on the night sky, instructing those present on the basics of identifying star constellations.

During the school year, we coordinate activities with the local area school districts, where the science teachers use our facilities and starparties as a field lab.  All of this is free to the public.  There are no charges whatsoever.

The AAAP has also established a regional astronomy convention named the “Laurel Highlands Star Cruise”, which recently completed its fifth successful year. 

The convention is a weeklong family oriented camping event.  There are astronomy related games, contests and activities for adults and children, camping and family activities such as rocket launching, a bike ride and tours of local attractions, and professional and amateur speakers. 

AAAP Future Educational Activities:

The AAAP has acquired, and is restoring a planetarium projector and dome.  This will be a great educational tool for the AAAP.  The planetarium will be housed in the new Mingo Observatory.  People attending a starparty might see a short basic planetarium program on the night sky, and then step directly outside and look up (or through a telescope) and see what was just shown to them inside!  The planetarium comes with a 10 ft dome and multiple automated programs and accessories.  Having this planetarium will greatly increase our primary educational functionally to the Western Pennsylvania region. 

Additionally, the AAAP is working with the Carnegie Science Center in developing a Teacher certification program in Astronomy and related sciences.