SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, December 20, 2019
7:30pm
McDonnell Hall, Room 162
Washington University

Fast Radio Bursts: "Lorimer Bursts"

by
Duncan Lorimer, PhD
University of West Virginia (Zoom Event)

 

SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, November 15, 2019
7:30pm
McDonnell Hall, Room 162
Washington University

The Formation of Solar-type Stars and Planetary Systems:
a Journey Toward Understanding Our Origins

by
Claire Chandler, PhD
National Radio Astronomy Observatory (Zoom Event)

Meeting Agenda

Welcome
Introduction of Officers and Guests

Claire Chandler

Jefferson College Observatory
November 21st Meteor Burst
Budget
Upcoming star parties and events
Other announcements

 

SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, October 18, 2019
7:30pm
McDonnell Hall, Room 162
Washington University

Beacons of the Invisible Universe: Quasars and Pulsars
by
Abigail Bollenbach
Bartlesville Astronomical Society

Abigail Bollenbach of the Bartlesville Astronomical Society, Oklahoma will be featured at the October meeting of the Saint Louis Astronomical Society. The meeting will begin at 7:30 PM Friday, October 18, in McDonnell Hall, Room 162, on the Washington University campus, Saint Louis, MO 63105. McDonnell Hall is accessible from Forsyth Boulevard via Tolman Way. About half a century ago, radio telescopes revealed two kinds of objects not detected before by optical telescopes. “Quasars” – short for quasi-stellar radio objects - were found to be monster black holes in very distant galaxies. Some of the material spiraling toward the black hole is superheated and spewed out from the black hole’s poles. The gas generates huge amounts of energy, including radio waves. “Pulsars” turned out to be the last stages of massive stars that had exploded. The leftover core of such a star, which is still more massive than our entire Sun, is crunched by gravity into a rapidly spinning ball only a few miles across. Beams of energy sweep out from the poles of the spinning pulsar, somewhat like a lighthouse beacon. Ms. Bollenbach will talk about the nature of quasars and pulsars and describe how quasar distances are detected. She will also present a short history of the development of radio astronomy. Abigail Bollenbach is a member of the Bartlesville Oklahoma Astronomical Society. A high school senior, she has been recognized by several national organizations for her work with astronomy public outreach projects. She is a founding member of the Bartian Youth Astronomers group in Bartlesville.


Meeting Agenda
Welcome
Introduction of Officers and Guests
Abby Bollenbach
SLAS StarBQ!! Saturday, October 19!!
Upcoming star parties and events
Other announcements

 

The Northern Lights and STEVE
by
Dr. Don Hampton
University of Alaska - Fairbanks


Dr. Don Hampton of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks will be featured at the September meeting of the Saint Louis Astronomical Society. The meeting will begin at 7:30 PM Friday, September 20, in McDonnell Hall, Room 162, on the Washington University campus, Saint Louis, MO 63105. McDonnell Hall is accessible from Forsyth Boulevard via Tolman Way. Free yellow zone and garage parking spaces are available. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium at Washington University, is open to the public free of charge.
The Sun showers Earth with more than light, heat, and other forms of energy. It also bombards the Earth with high energy particles. When solar “storms” eject a much greater batch of particles than usual, the particles smash into the molecules of Earth’s upper atmosphere, causing the upper air to glow. Large, shimmering sheets and ribbons of airglow become visible from the ground as an aurora – the Northern Lights as seen from north of the equator. A few years ago, a vertical dagger of glowing air was seen and nicknamed “Steve”. Now this dagger has been re-named “STEVE” – Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. Dr. Hampton will talk about the nature of the Northern Lights and STEVE, and about their direct effects on radio communications, satellites, and power grids.
Dr. Don Hampton is a Research Associate Professor in the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. His research interests center on the boundary between Earth’s upper atmosphere and space, the energy input of aurora into the upper atmosphere, and the effects of auroral energy on the atmosphere.

Meeting Agenda

Welcome
Introduction of Officers and Guests
Dr. Don Hampton
SLAS StarBQ!! This Weekend!!
Jefferson College Observatory Purchase Complete!
Upcoming star parties and events
We need volunteers for several events this weekend
Other announcements

SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, August 16, 2019 @ 7:30pm
McDonnell Hall Room 162
Washington University

Gravitational Waves: Astrophysics Final Frontier

Dr. Marco Cavaglia
Missouri University of Science and Technology


Dr. Marco Cavaglia of the Missouri University of Science and Technology will be featured at the August meeting of the Saint Louis Astronomical Society. McDonnell Hall is accessible from Forsyth Boulevard via Tolman Way. Free yellow zone and garage parking spaces are available. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium at Washington University, is open to the public free of charge.
Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity predicts the existence of gravitational waves. These are ripples of space caused by changes in gravity. Even for major changes in gravity, such as the merging of black holes, the gravitational waves produced are extremely weak and very hard to detect. Dr. Gavaglia will talk about the nature of gravitational waves and how they are detected, both indirectly and finally, in 2016, directly. He will also talk about efforts to map the dark, gravitational universe, including black holes and neutron stars.
Dr. Marco Cavaglia is a Professor of Physics at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, MO. His research interests include both experimental and theoretical gravity physics. During his career, Dr. Cavaglia, has been awarded research grants totaling over $ 2.5 million dollars and has authored over 200 scientific publications.

 


SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, July 19 2019 @ 7:30pm
McDonnell Hall Room 162
Washington University
Piloting SOFIA, NASA’s Flying Observatory
Craig O’Mara
NASA

Retired Air Force, NASA, and airline pilot Craig O’Mara will be featured at the July meeting of the Saint Louis Astronomical Society. The meeting will begin at 7:30 PM Friday, July 19 in McDonnell Hall, Room 162, on the Washington University campus, Saint Louis, MO 63105. McDonnell Hall is accessible from Forsyth Boulevard via Tolman Way. Free yellow zone and Bearly parking is available just west of McDonnell Hall. Street parking along Forsyth and garage parking spaces are also available. Handicap Parking is available next to McDonnell Hall.

Earth’s air, while vital for all of us, causes major problems for astronomers. Clear air --- isn’t. It is a collection of small pockets of slightly different densities, pockets in constant motion. Each ray of light is shifted as it goes through each pocket. As a result, even “still” clear air causes blurring, and causes stars to twinkle. The air also blocks much infrared and most ultraviolet light from reaching ground-based telescopes. One solution – get the telescope above as much air as possible. Best would be to get the telescope above all of the air. But space-based telescopes are very expensive to build, launch and support. To ease the cost burden, NASA flies an aircraft-based telescope. Named “SOFIA”, this is a telescope 106 inches across, mounted in a specially modified Boeing 747 airplane. Mr. O’Mara will talk about the SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory For Infra-red Astronomy) aircraft and his experiences with piloting the flying observatory.

Craig O’Mara was a NASA Research Pilot on SOFIA from 2016 to 2018. He learned to fly at 16 years old in 1970 in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was a USAF Reserve Instructor pilot/Flight Examiner from 1979 to 2002, and flew United Airlines aircraft such as the Boeing 737, 777, and 787 jets from 1985 to 2018.

Meeting Agenda

Welcome
Introduction of Officers and Guests
Craig O'Mara

Apollo 11 Anniversary events
Planetarium
Brommelseik
Schlafly
Presentation
Observatory motion

Welcome
Introduction of Officers and Guests
Josiah Lewis, PhD

Agenda
Jefferson College Observatory Update
Solstice Attendance Prizes