Category: Meetings

The next monthly meeting will be on January 9th at 7:30pm.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/305393033/

Date:  Thursday, January 9th, 2025 at 7:30 PM

Location: Simon Fraser University Burnaby Room AQ3149

Topic: The yearly Space wrap-up and preview: 2024 in review, and a preview of 2025

Speaker: Matthew Borghese, NASA Solar System Ambassador

Bio: Matthew Borghese is a communications specialist and former journalist who covered space shuttle launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Matthew lives outside of Victoria, British Columbia where he provides STEM outreach and connects students to careers and internships at the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Matthew presents to a variety of audiences from kindergartners to university students on both sides of the border.

Abstract: Join NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Matthew Borghese as we recap space highlights from 2024, and dive into what’s coming up this year. There are new rockets, new missions, and new science being carried out in orbit and at home.

Date:  Thursday, December 12th, 2024 at 8:00 PM

Topic: Pitcairn Islands Outreach! “Celestializing” the H.M.S. Bounty Mutineers!

Speaker: Bryon M. “PackPuppy” Elliott

Location: AQ3149 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3149

Bio: Bryon M. Elliott (please call him, “Puppy”) earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Magna Cum Laude, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in ‘93. However, a percussive, head-on encounter with a garage door in 2015 abruptly ended his software engineering career, thus making room for the other passion of his life: Astronomy!

He is an active member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the UBC Astronomy Club, through which he has met like-minded friends, is learning astronomy-related software, has created a landscape for Stellarium (https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium-data/releases/download/landscapes/trottier_observatory.zip), and participates in star parties. He also occasionally lectures at RASC chapters and seniors communities relatively near his home in Vancouver, British Columbia.

A self-proclaimed novice skygazer, Puppy prefers naked-eye and binocular sky gazing due to their low luggability factor. He plans on keeping his golden years spicy by sprinkling in familiarization with all manner of astronomical equipment, from sextants and armillary spheres to Dobsonians, GoTo telescopes, PixInsight, and petabyte data analysis from humanity’s fleet of space telescopes.

Abstract: Who knew “Mutiny on the Bounty” was based on a true story?! Please join me as I tell the tale of my unforgettable adventure on Pitcairn Island, the paradisiacal home of the mutineers’ descendants. I’ll touch on their captivating history, and reveal some of the brilliant celestial wonders I shared with them in their pristine night sky.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/304073000/

Date:  Thursday, November 14th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Topic: The Science of the Aurora (and how YOU can help)!

Speaker: Vincent “The Aurora Guy” Ledvina

Location: AQ3149 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3149

Bio: Vincent Ledvina is a Space Physics Ph.D. student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, but you may also know him as “The Aurora Guy.” Aside from researching what causes elusive “auroral beads,” Vincent is passionate about sharing his love for the northern lights with others. Part of this work involves leveraging citizen science data from aurora chasers who can provide valuable insights into how particularly rare auroras are created. Vincent also runs aurora photography workshops in Fairbanks and is a professional photographer. Outside of Alaska, Vincent is spending his second year with the Aerospace Corporation’s Space Sciences Applications Lab in El Segundo, CA as an intern. At Aerospace, Vincent is focusing on his Thesis work as well as investigating the effects of aurora on the electronics of low-flying spacecraft.

Abstract: Solar maximum and aurora season are here! This year, we will be experiencing the most active Sun in twenty years which means more chances of seeing gorgeous auroral displays. Recent severe space weather has driven views of the aurora to low latitudes, and more intense activity may be right around the corner. In this presentation, you will learn everything you need to become an aurora chaser, the exciting frontier of northern lights science, and how YOU can help.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/303983034/

Date:  Thursday, October 10th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Topic: The Enchantment of Evening Twilight

Speaker: Vicky Derksen

Location: AQ3149 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3149

Bio: Vicky Derksen fell in love with the night sky while teaching naked-eye astronomy to students in Fountain Hills, Arizona. In 2019, she launched Night Sky Tourist. She hosts a podcast with topics about night sky destinations, stargazing experiences, cultural astronomy, and dark sky preservation, and owns a local stargazing company. She’s also writing a book about night sky experiences on Highway 89 from Mexico to Canada. Vicky is the Past-President of the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association, helping her community gain certification as an International Dark Sky Community and hosting an annual Dark Sky Festival. She serves on the board for the International Dark Sky Discovery Center, a 23,000-square-foot facility in Fountain Hills that broke ground in April 2024. She’s also an Advocate with DarkSky International. You can find her online at NightSkyTourist.com.

Abstract: As the sun sets each day, an incredible transition unfolds in nature. The plants, animals, and sky bid farewell to the day shift and welcome the night shift. Sometimes, we live such busy lives that we tend to ignore this magical time of evening by staying indoors. However, experiencing all three stages of twilight can be a powerful way to unwind and connect with nature in a way that’s unique to that small window in the evening. Join me in this presentation to discover the potential for a truly memorable twilight experience that you’ll want to relive again and again.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/302091664/

Date:  Thursday, September 12th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Topic: New insights into Novae

Speaker: Elias Aydi, PhD; NASA Hubble Fellow

Location: AQ3159 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3159

Bio: Elias Aydi is an Assistant Professor at the Physics and Astronomy department at Texas Tech University. He got his PhD from the University of Cape Town and the South African Astronomical Observatory in 2018. Elias’s main research interest involves multiwavelength and time-domain astronomy, focusing on transient phenomena, particularly nova eruptions and he was awarded the prestigious NASA Hubble Fellowship in 2022 to explore novae and decipher their emission processes. He is also very interested in public engagement and promoting astronomy to the public.

Abstract: With NASA’s Fermi gamma-ray telescope establishing novae as a new class of gamma-ray sources in our Galaxy, we are harnessing multiwavelength observations from a multitude of facilities to rewrite the textbooks and re-evaluate our understanding of how novae work. These multiwavelength observational efforts will culminate with the awaited upcoming eruption of the recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis (T CrB). Lying at a distance of only 2900 light year away, the eruption of T CrB will reach naked eye brightness, providing astronomers and citizen scientists with a chance to study novae with unprecedented details.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/301615397/

Date:  Thursday, June 13th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Topic: NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft: Unravelling planet-formation and searching for a second Kuiper Belt.

Speaker: Dr. JJ Kavelaars

Location: AQ3159 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3159

Bio: Dr. JJ Kavelaars is a Principle Research Officer at the National Research Council of Canada’s Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre, and the Head of the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre. Dr. Kavelaars searches the sky for outer solar system objects and has discovered dozens of satellites of the giant planets and over 1000 minor planets in the distant solar system. He is a co-lead of the Canada-France Ecliptic Plan Survey and the Outer Solar System Origin Survey and co-investigator on NASA’s New Horizons Kuiper Extended Mission. In 2022 Dr. Kavelaars won the Canadian Astronomical Society’s Dunlap Award for Innovation in Astronomical Instrumentation and Software in recognition of his contributions to the development of digital research infrastructure in astronomy, and the NRC Dan Wayner Award for outstanding achievement in Science and Technology in recognition of his contributions to the understanding our outer solar system.

Abstract: The New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto and the small Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth. The spacecraft is now nearly 60 astronomical units from the Sun and continuing to explore the outer solar system. Dr. Kavelaars will highlight what we think we have learned about planet formation from this mission, and what we still hope to discover about the very distant solar system.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/299223013/

Date:  Thursday, May 9th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Topic: Lucy in the Sky with Trojans: Fossils of the Early Solar System

Speaker: Jennie King, NASA Solar System Ambassador

Location: AQ3159 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3159

Bio: Jennie “Starstuff” King is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s astronomy program. While studying astronomy and physics, she discovered her deep love of science education through work with elementary school students. As a high school AP Physics and Engineering teacher in Colorado, she brought her love of space exploration to the classroom. Jennie became a NASA-JPL Solar System Ambassador in order to encourage others to explore the wonders of the cosmos with their hearts, minds and imaginations. In addition to volunteering with NASA, Jennie now works as the Manager of Educator Programs at Science World in Vancouver, a role which allows her to continue sparking scientific curiosity and a love of STEAM learning.

Abstract: NASA’s Lucy mission, launched in October 2021, is the first space mission dedicated to studying Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. These ancient bodies are trapped in two “swarms”, one orbiting behind and the other ahead of the planet Jupiter. Over the course of its twelve-year mission, Lucy aims to explore an unprecedented number of asteroids in order to uncover clues about the early solar system. Just as the early hominin fossil of the same name led to deeper understanding of humanity’s origins, the Lucy mission aims to shed light on planetary evolution. Join NASA Solar System Ambassador and self-proclaimed space rock enthusiast Jennie “Starstuff” King as we explore the science of Lucy’s journey to these fascinating fossils of the early solar system.

Meet-up Link: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/299407477/

Date:  Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Topic: A Planet Hunter’s Guide to the Galaxy

Speaker: Dr. Michelle Kunimoto

Location: AQ3159 in the Quad at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus
           Here is a link to the SFU room finder:  
https://roomfinder.sfu.ca/apps/sfuroomfinder_web/?q=AQ3159

Bio: Michelle Kunimoto is a postdoctoral fellow at MIT and is an expert on discovering and characterizing strange new worlds outside of the Solar System. She aims to understand the demographics and diversity of exoplanets, especially in the context of the search for potentially habitable Earth-like worlds. Across all of her planet-hunting endeavours, Dr. Kunimoto has found over 3000 planets and planet candidates. She received her PhD in Astronomy from UBC Vancouver in 2020, and will be joining the university as a faculty member later this year.

Abstract: Discoveries of planets outside of the Solar System (“exoplanets”) have exploded over the last couple decades, and exoplanet science is one of the fastest growing fields of astronomy today. In this talk, I will cover how we find exoplanets, how we identify those that are potentially habitable, and how anyone can take part in the hunt – even you, from the comfort of your own home!​

Can’t attend in person?
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81087386674?pwd=T0hYc3I0eG5PQ3d4WG82dk5zT3JRdz09

Learn more here: https://www.meetup.com/astronomy-131/events/299407455/