Astronomy News from Estes Park Observatory
Check back often to see get posts from EPMO.
Unveiling the Origins of the Universe with Webb
The Estes Valley Astronomical Society is offering a free public lecture on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 at the Estes Park Memorial Observatory. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes Valley.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the largest and most complete space-based observatory ever built. It is currently at its observing spot, nearly one million miles from Earth.
Our speaker is Erin Wolf former Program Manager and Technical Lead for the JWST at BAE Systems, Inc. (formerly Ball Aerospace). Erin’s presentation recounts the JWST design and build lifecycle, with updates from newly released images. Less than two years into its mission, JWST has broken the record for the oldest galaxy ever observed by nearly 100 million years. It is seeing some of the first galaxies to form after the big bang 13.8 billion years ago. And some of those galaxies are bigger than our theories say they should be at such a young age of the universe! So what do we know now about the origins of our Universe that Webb has illuminated? And what can a new mission, SPHEREx, tell us about what drove early universe Inflation?
Erin is currently a program manager for the SPHEREx program at Ball Aerospace. SPHEREx is NASA’s middle-class explorer program (MIDEX) Infrared observatory that will survey the sky in optical and near-infrared light which serves as a powerful tool for answering cosmic questions. In her role, Wolf fosters the mentorship of junior engineers and provides growth opportunities for all career levels.
Before joining BAE Systems, Inc. in 2017, Wolf worked on Webb at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for eight years. She also contributed to Landsat 9’s TIRS-2 instrument and to the fourth Hubble Servicing Mission. She has worked on many payloads in the past, with an emphasis on cryogenic systems and IR detectors
Wolf is a member of the Society for Women Engineers (SWE) and has been involved with the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE). She has received various awards for her work on Webb, including the NASA Silver Achievement Medal, Group (2014) and NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal, Individual (2023), and was recognized as a Mentor of the Quarter at Ball. Wolf is a lifetime Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient.
Wolf received a B.S. in physics from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, and attended the Systems Engineering master’s program at Johns Hopkins University, MD.
The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot between the high school and the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question and answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through our 16-inch dome telescope at various celestial objects.
October 28th, 2023 Observatory Public Night
Deep Space Exploration at Lockheed Martin Space Division
By Ari Vogel
Is the subject of this month’s Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) meeting. EVAS, in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory, is offering a free public open house and lecture on Saturday, October 28, 2023. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes Valley.
Lockheed Martin Shows Off Its New Space Habitat
Description – What will space exploration and activities look like in the future?
Whether it’s going to the Moon and Mars or investigating the origins of life, Lockheed Martin Deep Space Exploration (DSE) leads the way. It operates at the intersection of mission complexity and uncertainty. The DSE team’s robotic spacecraft exploration heritage, in both past and current missions, is at the forefront of this endeavor. The speaker will discuss the DSE approach to mission development using the OSIRIS-REx and the Mars Sample Return missions to illustrate how this is accomplished.
Our speaker this month is Mr. Ari Vogel. Mr. Vogel is the Director of Deep Space Exploration at Lockheed Martin Space. In this capacity, he is responsible for execution and growth in robotic deep space exploration markets, providing customer astonishment, and developing and implementing strategies for long-term customer and business success. He brings 20 years of space systems experience to the organization.
Ari is responsible for some of the well-known spacecraft exploring, or soon to be exploring, our solar system and studying the universe. These include OSIRIS-REx, Mars Sample Return, DAVINCI, VERITAS, Janus, Lunar Trailblazer, Dragonfly, Juno, Lucy, MAVEN, MRO, Hubble, and Mars Odyssey.
Mr. Vogel is a passionate people leader and has made significant contributions to developing a talent pipeline via new employee programs and engagement. Mr. Vogel graduated with Honors from Santa Clara University with a Master of Science in Engineering Management and Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He enjoys substitute teaching, coaching and exploring our world with his wife and two boys.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Avenue. Please park in the teacher’s parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question-and-answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the telescope at various celestial objects. Information about the meeting can be found on the observatory website at: www.AngelsAbove.Org
September 30th, 2023 Observatory Public Night
Exploring the Universe Through Astrophotography
By Dr. RDee Sherrill
Is the subject of this month’s Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) meeting. EVAS, in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory, is offering a free public open house and lecture on Saturday, September 30, 2023. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes Valley.
The Stephan’s Quintet Photo by RDee Sherrill
Astrophotography provides us with insights into the mysteries of the universe not visible to the naked eye. Whether we enjoy the technical or physical side of this hobby, the pictures we produce are special, they are personal, the result of many hours of perseverance, and they help give meaning to the beauty and awe of the universe.
Dr. Sherrill has experience in equipment, techniques, and processes to make this presentation interesting to beginners through experienced photographers. He will share his knowledge of several niches of astronomy imaging, especially deep sky objects including nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and more.
After receiving his Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry, Dr. Sherrill worked at the DOE Rocky Flats Plant, the NASA Johnson Space Center, the DOE Brookhaven National Laboratory, and several private companies. RDee and his wife Beth moved full-time to Estes Park in 2011 and he retired in 2013. Upon retirement, RDee decided to further pursue his lifelong interest in astronomy by building an observatory and delving into the Astro Photography of deep space objects. RDee is now a full-fledged, self-taught Astro photographer who can rival most professionals in the field.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Avenue. Please park in the teacher’s parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question-and-answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the telescope at various celestial objects. Information about the meeting can be found on the observatory website at: www.AngelsAbove.Org
August 26th Observatory Public Night
Boldly Going into the Future: Space 2050
By Dr. Christine Edwards
Is the subject of this month’s Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) meeting. EVAS, in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public open house and lecture on Saturday, August 26th, 2023. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes Valley.
Description – What will space exploration and activities look like in the future? The fourth industrial revolution is currently underway, with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies making significant advancements and changing industries. The next thirty years will revolutionize our efforts in space and on Earth. We envision fully autonomous deep space exploration, where spacecraft, rovers, and landers decide what to do based on the commander’s intent. Cooperative robotics will enable life-saving operations on Earth, such as autonomous robotic surgery and fire-fighting assistance, and enable lunar surface activities, such as autonomous mining and outpost construction with raw materials. There will be cognitive AI assistants to help the crew with situational awareness, troubleshooting, and decision making. Advances in propulsion will provide faster travel. Furthermore, smart cities will become a reality. Advances in power and infrastructure management will enable better living conditions on Earth, Moon, and Mars. Dr. Christine Edwards will discuss the current developments at Lockheed Martin, the major challenges, and what this innovation path looks like towards making these science fiction scenarios a reality in Space 2050.
Dr. Christine Edwards
Dr. Christine Edwards is a Principal Autonomy/AI Research Engineer and Associate Fellow at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (ATC). She specializes in enabling greater autonomy and resilience for missions through systems-of-systems architecting and technology advancement, including AI and human-machine teaming. Currently, she leads the systems engineering development of the Cognitive Mission Manager (CMM), an AI-driven assistant for firefighter operations. Also, she is lead systems engineer for Operations Center of the Future mission management, advancing intelligent systems for space operations. Previous positions include serving as Deputy Chief Systems Architect for Commercial Civil Space (CCS), principal investigator for weather and remote sensing research and development for Advanced Programs, lead systems engineer and associate manager for Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) operations, guidance navigation and control (GN&C) operations for the GRAIL, Mars Odyssey, and Stardust missions, launch support for Juno, and autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (ARPOD) development for the Orion. She holds a PhD in systems engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in aerospace engineering from MIT and was recognized by Aviation Week & Space Technology in their 40 under 40 in Aerospace and Defense. For outreach, she performs public speaking engagements about space exploration as a NASA Solar System Ambassador, has led science project programs for K-12 and college levels, and was a Research Associate at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, including participation in the 2013 Kaiparowits Expedition that was featured in the National Geographic magazine.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question-and-answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the telescope at various celestial objects.
July Observatory Open House / Lecture /Public Star Night
Observatory Public Night
“Ozone Hole Recovery: An International Success Story”
is the subject of this month’s Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) meeting. EVAS in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public open house/star night on Saturday July 29th, 7 PM. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes valley.
This illustrated presentation for the general public will begin by reviewing the Ozone layer. This layer of the atmosphere provides natural screening protection around the Earth but the thinning ozone hole near the south pole in the 1980s offered significantly less UV protection. Fortunately, there has been an international effort to preserve our ozone layer. Come and hear a good news climate story – how globally we worked together to save the ozone.
Dr. Suzanne Metlay is full-time faculty in Earth Sciences Education at Western Governors University, a fully online non-profit university founded in 1997 by 19 governors of western states, including Colorado. Previously, Suzanne taught astronomy and geology at Front Range Community College in Longmont and Fort Collins, was Operations Director for Secure World Foundation in Superior, and served as Education Programs Manager at CU-Boulder’s Fiske Planetarium. Suzanne is a past president of the Teacher Education Division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, and very active on the NAGT Advocacy Committee. Suzanne has an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a PhD in Geology and Planetary Science from the University of Pittsburgh. She was awarded the Antarctica Service Medal from the Department of the Navy and National Science Foundation for fieldwork conducted as a participant in the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) in 1991.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question-and-answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the telescope at various celestial objects. Information about the meeting can be found on the observatory website at: www.AngelsAbove.Org
June Observatory Open House / Lecture /Public Star Night
“Distributed Development and Fun Features of Special Relativity”
is the subject of this month’s Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) meeting. EVAS in
conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public open
house/star night on Saturday, June 24th, at 7 PM. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur
astronomy and education in the Estes Valley.
This illustrated presentation for the general public will begin by looking at how the Theory of
Special Relativity was developed by scientists over a period of about 50 years, culminating
with Einstein’s famous publication in 1905. Historians still debate the contributions of various
individuals. In any case, Special Relativity represents a remarkable advancement in our
understanding of space and time, particularly when high (relativistic) velocities are involved.
By considering how measures of length, mass, and time depend on velocities, we can
understand why certain particles strike the Earth whereas they could not do so without
relativistic effects. In addition, we will examine relativistic implications for forms of matter like
“tardyons” (e.g., people), “luxons” (light photons), and “tachyons” Hypothetical tachyons travel
faster than the speed of light, have imaginary mass, and violate cause and effect relationships.
(Scientists don’t like them!) Whereas photons must have zero rest mass, it can be shown that
they still possess energy and momentum. After discussing different time measurements
involved with space travel, the aging of astronauts, and the Twin Paradox, we will consider
something more practical like how to adjust our watch if we change time zones and the
adjustment stem is broken (assuming we have a good spaceship at our disposal).
Our speaker is Dr. Gordon MacAlpine, a retired astronomer, physicist, and a member of the
EVAS club. He received a BA in physics from Earlham College and a Ph.D. in astronomy from
the University of Wisconsin. After a stint at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ,
he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan where he was a Professor of Astronomy until
2000. Then he accepted the Zilker Distinguished Professor of Physics chair at Trinity
University in San Antonio, TX, where he continued teaching astronomy, physics, and
environmental science until his retirement in 2012.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s
parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00pm and the meeting will
start at 7:30pm. The presentation, including a question-and-answer period, lasts about an
hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the telescope at various
celestial objects. Information about the meeting can be found on the observatory website at:
www.AngelsAbove.Org
February Observatory Open House / Lecture /Public Star Night
The Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public open house/star night on Saturday, February 23, 2019. The goal of EVAS is to promote science and education in the Estes valley.
Our returning speaker for the evening is one of our EVAS club members, Dr. Gordon MacAlpine and the title of his talk will be:
Should We Resort to Geoengineering to Preserve Earth’s Biosphere?
Can Climate engineering Help Solve are Problems
Earth is the only planet known to support life. Unfortunately, our burning of fossil fuels is rapidly destroying the biosphere or life-support system. Recent reports from both the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the United States Fourth National Climate Assessment indicate that humanity has only about a 10-12 year window of opportunity to eliminate fossil fuel use and associated carbon emissions into the atmosphere, if we are to head off the most catastrophic climatic events.
Locally, Estes Park and Colorado are involved in ongoing processes to limit carbon emissions as quickly as feasible. Other municipalities, states, and countries are also cutting back. However, overall carbon emissions are increasing; and major impacts are taking place on the planet, including here in Colorado.
Computations by Scott Denning, Monfort Professor of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, show that Colorado’s climate will be altered dramatically if fossil fuels continue to be burned. It is also apparent that significant changes will occur here even if carbon emissions cease globally, because of CO2 already in the atmosphere. As devastation is apparent throughout the world, there has been a growing call for large-scale, intentional planetary intervention to reduce the detrimental effects of global warming and climate change.
Global climate engineering or “geoengineering” can take different forms. Some proposals advocate for removal of CO2 from Earth’s atmosphere, while others would block incoming solar radiation before it can be trapped with the greenhouse effect. The latter may involve intentionally introducing pollution into the atmosphere, increasing cloud cover, or surrounding the planet with mirrors. There are also plans for further pollution of oceans in misguided efforts to promote their health, and to reduce rampant melting or heating at the planetary poles. We will examine these ideas and discuss reservations about their use, keeping in mind that we are involved in an existential dilemma and we may have to invoke one or more of these extreme measures.
This public talk, supplemented with visual aids, is intended for a general audience.
Dr. Gordon MacAlpine
Our speaker is Dr. Gordon MacAlpine a retired astronomer, physicist and a member of the EVAS club. He received a BA in physics from Earlham College and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Wisconsin. After a stint at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ, he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan where he was a Professor of Astronomy until 2000. Then he accepted the Zilker Distinguished Professor of Physics chair at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, where he continued teaching astronomy, physics, and environmental science until his retirement in 2012. Gordon and his wife, Barbara, live in Estes Park
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question and answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the 16 inch dome telescope at various celestial objects. The lecture is free to the public and no reservations necessary. Just come and join the party and be ready to ask questions!
November Observatory Open House / Lecture /Public Star Night
“The Library of Babel and the VERY Large Numbers of Science”
by
John Ensworth
The Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public lecture Saturday, December 1, 2018 at the Estes Park Memorial Observatory. Normally our public lectures are on the 4th Saturday of the month but this months’ lecture is moved to accommodate our speaker. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes valley.
The scientist and the layperson alike try to grapple with infinity. It shows up at the edges of science and math every day. We have to deal with it. But can humans really visualize the infinite? Can we get a gut feeling for even just the very, very large? John Ensworth will take you to the fictional Library of Babel, based on the short story by Jorge Luis Borges of the same name, and use it as a tool to expand your perception of the very large. He will compare the size of the (finite but large) Library with physical and mathematical values science has found exist in reality. How far can your mind go… grasping the vastness of what is…?
John Ensworth is currently the Principal Investigator of the NASA SMD Independent Education Product Review at the IGES, which is a non-profit organization formed, in part, to conduct independent reviews on all Earth and space science education products produced by or created for NASA (www.strategies.org). His position is the one responsible for conducting these reviews and helping with NASA education and outreach efforts through the Web (http://nasawavelength.org/) and at large education conferences (i.e. NSTA, NCTM, and the ASP) that introduce the products that are scientifically accurate and appropriate for the educational audience they are intended for. In the 90’s Mr. Ensworth was a masters’ student and a PhD candidate in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. He teaches physics and mathematics at a number of online universities. He earned undergraduate degrees in physics and astronomy, and geography and meteorology with an emphasis in math and computer science. You can view a Webcam of his backyard observatory (Cherrywood Observatory) in Longmont at http://bikerjohn.com/webcam_page1.htm.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot between the high school and the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question and answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through our 16 inch dome telescope at various celestial objects.
October 27th Observatory Open House / Lecture /Public Star Night
The James Webb Space Telescope
Is the subject of this month’s Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) meeting. EVAS in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public lecture Saturday, October 27, 2018 at the Estes Park Memorial Observatory. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes valley.
Our guest speaker for this public star night will be Allison Barto, the program manager for the James Webb Space telescope at Ball Aerospace.
An artist’s representation of the completed James Webb Space Telescope
Credit: Northrop Grumman
Since the invention of the telescope over 400 years ago, humans have been building bigger and more powerful telescopes in a drive to better understand our amazing Universe. With the advent of the space age, we have been able to pursue even clearer images of the night sky through space-based observatories, revolutionizing astronomical knowledge. For the past twenty years, engineers and scientists across the globe have been working on a truly audacious next-generation space observatory. When launched, the James Webb Space Telescope will be the largest, most powerful, and most complex space telescope ever built. Its 22 foot-wide mirror and 72 foot-long sunshield will allow us to look back in time to see the first light after the Big Bang. Focusing on contributions built here in Colorado, this lecture will explore how astronomers’ questions shape telescope design and offer a
Allison Barto
Ball Aerospace Program Manager
glimpse into the amazing engineering that enables scientific discovery.
Allison Barto is the Program Manager for the James Webb Space Telescope at Ball Aerospace, where she leads the team responsible for delivering the optics and electronics for the 22-foot-wide telescope. When it launches to orbit the Sun one million miles from Earth, the Webb Telescope will be the most sensitive, largest aperture space telescope ever flown. It will be capable of imaging the first light in the Universe and detecting signatures of life in the atmospheres of extra-solar planets.
During her 20 years career in Civil Space, Allison has previously contributed to the Hubble Space Telescope science instruments and also currently manages the Ball Aerospace contribution to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, a large ground-based telescope under construction in Chile, in addition to over fifteen years developing the Webb telescope. Allison was the recipient of the 2014 Women in Aerospace Achievement Award for her technical contributions to the James Webb Space Telescope. When not building the next generation astronomical observatories, Allison is actively involved promoting her passions in education, inquiry based learning, STEM, and educational equity and opportunity and was the recipient of the 2017 Women Who Light the Community Award from the chamber of Boulder, CO for this work.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot between the high school and the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the meeting will start at 7:30 pm. The presentation, including a question and answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through our 16 inch dome telescope at various celestial objects.
August 25 Observatory Open House / Lecture /Public Star Night
Beyond NASA: Private, Commercial, and International Spaceflight
By:
Suzanne Metlay
Dr. Suzanne Metlay
Geoscientist
1958 NASA 2018 Sixty Years in Space
We are nearly 20 years into the 21st century and Colorado is 1st in U.S. private sector aerospace employment, has the 2nd largest aerospace economy in the country, and ranks 3rd for awarded NASA contracts. So let’s put that in context – in the 60 years since Sputnik, how has space industry expanded away from NASA and into the international private sector? Let’s think back, look around, and venture forward into the next decade of spaceflight.
Suzanne Metlay is full-time faculty in Geoscience Teacher Education at Western Governors University, a fully online non-profit university founded in 1997 by 19 governors of western states, including Colorado. Previously, Suzanne taught astronomy and geology at Front Range Community College in Longmont and Fort Collins, was Operations Director for Secure World Foundation in Superior, and served as Education Programs Manager at CU-Boulder’s Fiske Planetarium. Currently, Suzanne is President of the Teacher Education Division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers.
The Estes Valley Astronomical Society (EVAS) in conjunction with The Estes Park Memorial Observatory is offering a free public open house/star night. The goal of EVAS is to promote amateur astronomy and education in the Estes valley.
The observatory is just north of the high school at 1600 Manford Ave. Park in the teacher’s parking lot adjacent to the observatory. The doors will open at 7:00pm and the meeting will start at 7:30pm. The presentation, including a question and answer period, lasts about an hour. After the presentation, weather permitting, we will look through the new 16 inch dome telescope at various celestial objects.
If you have any questions, please check the EPMO web site at: www.AngelsAbove.org . The lecture is free to the public and no reservations necessary. Just come and join the party and be ready to ask questions! For more information, please call the observatory at 970-586-5668