lurking/aster problem

Greetings plant-people,
I have been lurking for several months and I have to say, this is a great 
list! I originally joined as part of a class assignment on using the 
internet, but I intend to stay. I have been a gardener of sorts for many 
years, but never had the time/the money/stayed in one place long enough 
to make major changes in the terrain. Now my perennial beds are 2-3 years 
old (I've moved everything at least once!) and, just when I thought I 
could cruise for the rest of the season, I notice these bright orange 
spots on my asters. I should mention that the asters were a gift last 
year, from a neighbor who always buys more plants than he needs (lucky 
me!). They are small, about 1 mm, and located all over the stems and, to 
a lesser extent, on the leaves. They can be rubbed off, but not easily. 
Two plants have been hit badly and are turning yellow, just as they were 
about to bloom. I can see a few of the orange spots on the other 8 
plants. I couldn't find anything in my books, so I decided to come out of 
the compost and ask, does anyone know what this is? If I act quickly, I 
may be able to save most of them. I suspect a fungus because it looks 
slightly furry and doesn't move, but it could be an insect. Any advice on 
identifying/eradicating this plague would be greatly appreciated.

Patty Tam
zone 4a/Minnesota

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