 Longmont Astronomical Society |
More member astrophotography can be found on our Astrophotos page and in our newsletter archives.
Upcoming events
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Monthly Meeting
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7pm
The James Webb Space Telescope: Promises Delivered
by Dr. Gregory Wirth
Location
TBD
Online Zoom Invite also will be emailed.
Summary
Why was a "magic metal" key to designing the powerful new James Webb Space Telescope? How did scientists focus the optics after launch? And what amazing discoveries are astronomers making now that Webb is fully operational and returning fantastic new images to us almost daily? In this presentation, hear local expert Greg Wirth explain how engineers designed Webb's mirrors, what was involved in turning 18 separate mirror segments into a single telescope, and what scientists are learning from the data.
Summary
Dr. Gregory Wirth is an astronomer and systems engineer at Boulder-based Ball Aerospace. Since clear nights were a rarity growing up in cloudy and light-polluted central Michigan, Greg was blown away the first time he saw the night skies in Colorado as a teen. He earned his Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz and spent sixteen years as a Support Astronomer at the W. M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Prior to joining Ball in 2018, Greg served as the Commissioning Scientist for the Boulder-based National Ecological Observatory Network. At Ball, he has supported the Roman Space Telescope program and spent last winter commuting from Boulder to Baltimore as a member of the Wavefront Science Team responsible for commissioning the optical systems on the James Webb Space Telescope. He lives in Longmont and plans his bike rides around the best snack stops.
If you are not a member and would like to join our next meeting,
Contact via email and we'll send you an invitation.
Tonight's Sky The Space Telescope Science Institute gives a quick look at the constellations you can see each month. |
What's Up
This video from NASA shows you skywatching highlights for each month. |
Resources
Visit our Educational and Community Outreach page for Science Project ideas, websites specifically for students, and more. This section of our Astronomy Resources page offers information to help you plan for a night of stargazing. A day-by-day schedule of what will be visible in the night sky, along with links to detailed explanations. | Astronomy Equipment Donations In keeping with our mission to support amateur astronomy in our community, visit our Donations page. Please contact us if you have astronomy equipment to donate. Become a Member! Membership in the LAS is open to all people of any age. We offer Student and Individual Memberships. Donate to the LAS You can donate to the general fund or our telescope fund. Thank you! |