Presentation: The Reopening at Kitt Peak National Observatory: One Year In

Vanessa Gressieux presents an exploration of the current public outreach offerings at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Learn about the Observatory’s history, its long shut down after Covid-19 and the Kitt Peak Fire, and its new schedule of day and nighttime astronomy tours, and other events. Vanessa will touch on some of the scientific projects being conducted at Kitt Peak, which visitors can learn more about on tours to the telescopes involved. Learn why Kitt Peak is considered one of America’s premier tourist attractions, as well as an important astronomical research facility.

Bio: Vannessa Gressieux is a University of Arizona alumni with over 12 years of astronomy outreach and education experience. She is also a proud member of the TAAA and volunteers annually at the Grand Canyon Star Party. In addition to her role as the Guide and Docent Coordinator at Kitt Peak National Observatory, she has served as Solar System Ambassador with NASA and JPL.

Kitt Peak Aerial View
Credit: NOIRLab/KPNO/NSF/AURA/P.Marenfeld

Presentation:  Exploring the Moon with Seismology: From Apollo to Artemis

Over 50 years ago, Apollo astronauts installed the first extraterrestrial seismometers on the lunar surface. These instruments recorded thousands of moonquakes (earthquakes on the Moon). Now, we’re heading back to Moon with modern seismometers as part of the Artemis missions. Lunar and Planetary Lab’s  Angela Marusiak will discuss what we learned from Apollo, what we can learn from Artemis, the implications for future exploration, and how the University of Arizona is involved.

Bio: Angela Marusiak is an Assistant Research Professor at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. She received her Bachelors in Geophysics & Planetary Science from Boston University, and her PhD in Geology from the University of Maryland. She spent two years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as a postdoc before joining the faculty at UA. Her research focuses on the science of planetary seismology and development of relevant instruments. Her mission involvement includes InSight (Mars), Dragonfly (Titan), and Artemis III (the Moon). events.can be found at https://www.astrobin.com/users/astronewbie/

Credit: NASA

Presentation:  Dark Sky Southern Arizona 2.0: The Hits (and Misses) Of Our First Year and How Our Region Can Reclaim Its Leading Role

Light pollution is a longstanding concern in the Tucson area, which in many respects is the home of the global dark-skies movement. After going dormant during the pandemic, the Southern Arizona Chapter of DarkSky International (formerly the International Dark-Sky Association) was rebooted in mid-2023. In this talk, John Barentine will describe the motivations that led the group to restart the chapter along with the progress they have made toward achieving the strategic goals of their first three-year period. He will also give an update on regional light-pollution trends and opportunities that can strengthen this region’s leadership on outdoor lighting issues.

Bio: John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in educating the public about science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events.can be found at https://www.astrobin.com/users/astronewbie/

Presenter: John Barentine

Main Presentation:  Galaxy Classifications

Presenter: Connor Justice

Connor Justice will be presenting on the first of two parts for Galaxy Classifications.

Astronomer of the Month:  Harlow Shapley

Presenter:  Doug Smith

Doug Smith will be highlighting Harlow Shapley for our ongoing Astronomer of the Month series