Join us on September 23, either at the Ponderosa firehouse or on Zoom, for a couple of great astronomy talks.

Zoom link opens at 6:15
Join Zoom Meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86427518632?pwd=RzJjZ0Z5bGFrdTBNcGJLUE41UW5Pdz09
Meeting ID: 864 2751 8632
Passcode: 130563

First at 6:30 p.m. we have our FYI session which will demonstrate how to get image data from the NASA website and then process it yourself. We will also talk about bit about Jupiter opposition that will happen on September 26.

Next at 7:30 p.m. we have our main speaker, Dr. Mark Matney, with a fascinating presentation on orbital debris.

Mark Matney, PhD, will talk about Orbital Debris. Orbital Debris is a major (and growing) source of hazard to both crewed and robotic spacecraft – especially in low-Earth orbit. NASA is a world leader in understanding and helping mitigate the risk for all users of space – both U.S. and international.

Bio:
Mark Matney is a planetary scientist and modeling lead for the Orbital Debris Program Office within the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at the Johnson Space Center. Matney’s work involves all aspects of orbital debris research including measurements, modeling, and mitigation. He received his doctorate in Space Physics and Astronomy from Rice University.

Next Meeting: Friday, August 26

We will be both in person at the Ponderosa fire station training room (see address in side bar) and on Zoom this month. If you are Zooming, check back here for the Zoom link before you join the meeting.

6:30 PM: We will have a special FYI session honoring Loyd Overcash.

A tribute to and examination of images of Loyd Overcash.  How he started and grew in astroimaging, including a live presentation of processing some of his best work.

7:30 PM: Main presentation… Open Lines: A Journey with Webb

Join NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador volunteers Leonard Ferguson and Annie Wargetz for a lively discussion about the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)! We’ll journey with JWST from its launch to its first views of the universe and on to its latest imagery and science. Bring your questions and your curiosity!

ANNIE WARGETZ

Annie Wargetz is a life-long space enthusiast who has a passion for getting the public and all those around her as excited about space exploration as she is. Annie holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Houston in Communications. She focused on public relations and advertising and earned a minor in mathematics. She holds a graduate degree in Space Sciences from the University of North Dakota where she focused her studies on human spaceflight. She studied mission and spacecraft design as well as life support systems. Her master’s thesis looked at the psychological challenges humans may face during the long duration missions back to the Moon and Mars. Her favorite topics to speak on as an ambassador are human spaceflight, any of the multitudes of NASA missions, and heliophysics, or the study of the Sun. She hopes to inspire people to look up to the stars with hope and to learn more about the advances in our space program.

LEONARD FERGUSON

Leonard Ferguson is an active amateur astronomer with a particular interest in our sun and variable stars. He is a longtime volunteer at the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s George Observatory, conducting classroom presentations during public star parties and assisting with the operation of the domed telescopes. He is active in Fort Bend Astronomy Club, assisting with educational programs and helping to support and organize club meetings and activities and writes stargazing articles for several publications.

The 2022 Saturn opposition occurs on August 14, when Earth passes between the sun and Saturn, placing the ringed planet opposite the sun in our sky.  Saturn will be rising in the east at sunset and will be visible all night. This will be the brightest it will shine for 2022 at magnitude 0.3!

Click here to read more from earthsky.org