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TUCSON AMATEUR ASTRONOMY ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED
TUCSON, AZ · EIN 742401304 · Form 990 · FY2021 · Small ($100K-$1M) · www.tucsonastronomy.org
revenue
$108K
expenses
$41K
net assets
$979K
employees
0
volunteers
100
program ratio
87%
mission · from form 990

The Association shall be an educational, service, scientific, and technical organization devoted to the study of, and promotion of interest in, Astronomy and its related allied sciences.

profile · synthesized from sources

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association provides astronomy education and outreach through star parties, hands-on toolkits, and telescope access for schools, libraries, and the public. The organization engages volunteers to host observing events, supports classroom learning with loaned materials, and operates a dark-sky site for immersive astronomy experiences. Based in Tucson, Arizona, it serves local communities with programs for students, educators, and families.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $2K
    PUBLICATION OF DESERT SKIES NEWSLETTER, BULLETINS, AND MAINTENANCE OF WEBSITE PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
  2. #2 $3K
    VARIOUS ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE FAIRS AND PUBLIC EVENTS. FREE MONTHLY MEETINGS ARE HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CAMPUS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Classroom Moon Globe Loan
Provides 12" Moon globes to K-12 teachers for classroom instruction; available on loan with a deposit
Community Star Party Program
Volunteer-led evening events featuring telescope viewing for schools and non-profit organizations; serves approximately 10,000 people annually
Libraryscope Program
Partners with public libraries to lend 4.5" telescopes to community members; includes educational materials and support
Night Sky Network Toolkits
Hands-on educational kits on astronomy themes such as lunar phases, black holes, and exoplanets; used during star parties and outreach events
TAAA Astronomy Camp
Hands-on astronomy program for high school and college students at the Chiricahua Astronomy Complex under dark skies
activities · 1 group

what they do

  • Astronomical Observatories & Public Stargazing Facilities 17 activities
    • Astronomy Camp Program
      Operates an Astronomy Camp Program for high school and college students, offering hands-on observations and study at its dark site in Cochise County.
    • Astronomy Camp Program
      Operates an Astronomy Camp Program for high school and college students, providing hands-on observations and study at its dark site in Cochise County.
    • Chiricahua Astronomy Complex Events
      Offers small group astronomy events at the Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, located 100 miles southeast of Tucson, AZ.
    • Chiricahua Astronomy Complex Events
      Offers small group astronomy events at the Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, located 100 miles southeast of Tucson, AZ.
    • Community Star Parties and Public Astronomy Events
      Organizes and hosts over 150 astronomy events annually, including "Star Parties" for schools, youth, non-profit organizations, and the general public, reaching approximately 10,000 people. These events involve members sharing astronomy knowledge and personal telescopes for night sky viewing, as well as daytime solar viewing activities using specialized filters.
    • Community Star Party Program
      Organizes and hosts over 150 astronomy events annually, including "Star Parties" for schools, youth, non-profit organizations, and the public, where members share knowledge and personal telescopes. This program reaches approximately 10,000 people annually and includes daytime solar viewing activities and virtual live streaming of astronomical events.
    • Educational Resource Lending
      Provides a 12-inch diameter Moon Globe for K-12 teachers to borrow for classroom use.
    • Educational Resource Loan Program
      Provides a 12-inch diameter Moon Globe for K-12 teachers to borrow for classroom use.
    • Grand Canyon Star Party Coordination
      Founds and coordinates astronomer participation for the annual eight-day Grand Canyon Star Party, an event that reaches over 70,000 visitors.
    • Grand Canyon Star Party Coordination
      Founds and coordinates astronomer participation for the annual eight-day Grand Canyon Star Party, which reaches over 70,000 visitors.
    • Library Support and Maintenance
      Provides ongoing educational support and telescope maintenance to libraries participating in the telescope loan program.
    • NASA Moon Watch Station Operation
      Operated as a NASA Moon Watch station at the University of Arizona.
    • Night Sky Network (NSN) Toolkit Program
      Administers a Night Sky Network (NSN) Toolkit program, providing kits with hands-on astronomy activities for use at star parties and other events.
    • Night Sky Network Toolkit Program
      Administers a Night Sky Network (NSN) Toolkit program, which provides kits containing hands-on astronomy activities for use at star parties and other educational events.
    • Telescope Lending Program
      Provides functional, easy-to-use telescopes for community residents to borrow through 12 Pima County and Cochise County Libraries, and offers ongoing educational support and maintenance for these library telescopes.
    • Telescope Loan Program
      Provides functional, easy-to-use telescopes for community residents to borrow through local libraries in Pima County and Cochise County, with telescopes currently located at 12 libraries.
    • Virtual Astronomy Programs
      Offers virtual live streaming of astronomical events and 2-hour observing sessions, streamed to locations within the U.S. with a limit of 10 log-in locations, subject to astronomer availability.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$108K
Contributions & grants$108K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$41K
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$980K
Cash$223K
Investments$0
Liabilities$16
Net assets$979K
Liquid reserves65.2 mo
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +189.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

board members · 7
  • BARBARA WHITEHEAD — TREASURER
  • DAVID ROSSETTER — MEMBER AT LARGE
  • DOUG SMITH — VICE PRESIDENT
  • GUS GOMEZ — MEMBER AT LARGE
  • JOHN KALAS — MEMBER AT LARGE
  • MAE SMITH — PRESIDENT
  • ROBERT REYNOLDS — SECRETARY
relationships · 18

who they work with

  • Astronomical League Horkheimer Charitable Fund Funder — Donated telescopes for the program.
  • Astronomical Society of the Pacific Partner — Developed Night Sky Network Toolkits used by TAAA for outreach.
  • CBS News Partner — CBS News attended the star party and prepared a special report on dark skies and the new status of Grand Canyon National Park.
  • Cochise County Libraries Partner — Libraries where telescopes are currently located for the Libraryscope Program.
  • Grand Canyon Association Partner — Collaborated with the Grand Canyon Association's Dark Skies Special Project to restore dark skies.
  • Grand Canyon National Park Partner — Teams with Grand Canyon National Park for environmental awareness functions.
  • International Darksky Association Partner — Contributed to the International Darksky Association designating GCNP as a Provisional International Dark Sky Park.
  • Joel D. Valdez Main library Partner — One of the libraries participating in the Libraryscope Program.
  • MemberPlanet Partner — Hosts the "Members Only" content and is used for TAAA member registration.
  • Miller-Golf Links library Partner — One of the libraries participating in the Libraryscope Program.
  • NASA Partner — Operated as a NASA Moon Watch station at the University of Arizona.
  • NASA’s Night Sky Network Network — Charter member of the network that supports amateur astronomy clubs with outreach programs.
  • National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Partner — Project Astro is an educational outreach program of NOAO.
  • National Park Service Partner — Teams with the National Park Service for environmental awareness functions.
  • New Hampshire Astronomical Society Partner — The organization whose Library Telescope Program serves as a model for TAAA's program.
  • Pima County Libraries Partner — Libraries where telescopes are currently located for the Libraryscope Program.
  • Project Astro Partner — Partners astronomers and teachers for learning, providing instructional materials and one-on-one support.
  • University of Arizona Partner — Operated as a NASA Moon Watch station at the University of Arizona.