LVAAS General Meeting

Sunday, October 8, 7 p.m. at South Mountain and via ZOOM

 

"NEOs: A Clear and Present Danger from Space"

 

John Conrad

 

All about Near Earth Objects (NEOs), those asteroids and comets that could threaten Earth and mankind in the future, like the “dinosaur-killer” asteroid that did impact the Earth 65 million years ago.  Furthermore, we’ll describe the international Planetary Defense program, whereby NASA – and other nations’ space agencies – are developing what hopefully will be an arsenal of PHA (Potentially Hazardous Asteroids) threat mitigation tools and techniques.

You’ll learn about NASA’s first mitigation test:  the DART spacecraft, which recently demonstrated kinetic deflection of a Near Earth Asteroid.

 

John Conrad followed his childhood interest in space and spaceflight – at the dawn of the Space Age – through Astronautical Engineering degrees from the US Air Force Academy and Purdue University straight into leadership in space programs for the Air Force, NASA, DOE, and industry.  Now retired, he gives frequent talks to schools, astronomy clubs, museums, libraries, and other learning venues that draw on his extensive experiences, including:

  • Managing satellite rocket launches
  • Designing and operating military and civil spacecraft
  • Data applications in areas such as Earth science and intelligence
  • Astrodynamics and astronomy

In his role as a NASA Solar System Ambassador, he is able to bring you the latest results from NASA scientists and engineers, providing insights into US progress in exploring space and addressing the most challenging and complex of mankind’s problems and pursuits.

 

 

 

Prospective new members who wish to attend the meeting should email membership@lvaas.org.

 

 



—    LVAAS    —

THE LEHIGH VALLEY AMATEUR ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY -- 620B East Rock Road -- Allentown, PA 18103 -- 610-797-3476 -- www.lvaas.org

WELCOME!

Founded in 1957, the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society (LVAAS) is one of the oldest continuously-operating amateur astronomy organizations in the U.S. The mission of LVAAS is to promote the study of Astronomy and to maintain a meeting space, observatories, and a planetarium.

LVAAS operates two astronomy sites: The South Mountain site in Salisbury Township is the headquarters of the Society. It has a planetarium with a Spitz A3P projector, a 21 foot dome, meeting space, the Red Shift store, library, workshop space, and three observatories. The Pulpit Rock site near Hamburg is LVAAS's members-only dark sky site. At 1600 feet above sea level, the site features five observatories and a pad for member's scopes.

Members who receive training on the scopes may obtain keys to the observatories. LVAAS also maintains a rental "fleet" of telescopes that members may rent at low cost. Members also receive access to The Observer, our online newsletter, as well as reduced subscription prices to Sky and Telescope and Astronomy Magazine. If you want to learn more about astronomy and LVAAS, please join us at our next public star party.

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