News & Events
Fri, Oct 13, 2023
2023 Annular Eclipse: Where and When
The Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.
https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/where-when/
Thu, Oct 12, 2023
Psyche! Countdown to a Metal World
Mon, Aug 28, 2023
Join us for a discussion on Climate Science Science in the Astronomy Classroom
How to Teach and Talk about Climate Change in an Astronomy Class
From a health, social, and environmental standpoint, climate change is an existential threat that requires our immediate attention. The good news is that most Americans now understand that climate change is a threat. However, many people– particularly the young– are convinced that nothing can be done. Known as “climate doomism”, this fear represents one of the biggest barriers for people to actively engage in advocating for solutions. Fortunately, physics and astronomy teachers are especially well positioned to help people understand the problem, as well as solutions. In this session, we’ll talk about effective ways to incorporate climate change into your introductory physics and astronomy classes. (Happily, we already teach many concepts that are important for putting climate change into context, such as conservation of energy and terrestrial planetary atmospheres.) We’ll also talk about research-validated communication strategies that have been found to be effective in raising awareness, concern, and action.
Bio:
Dr. Travis Rector is an astrophysicist and professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Living in Alaska, he has witnessed dramatic changes in his home state. In recent years his focus has been on helping other instructors incorporate climate change into their teaching. He is the editor and co-author of a new book called Climate Change for Astronomers, to be released this fall by IoP/AAS Publishing. He is also currently serving as the chair of a task force for the American Astronomical Society, with the goal of identifying ways astronomy as a profession can reduce its carbon footprint.
Topic: Climate Change: Travis Rector
Time: Aug 30, 2023 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
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Wed, Aug 09, 2023
ASP2023: Exploring the Art, Culture, and Science of Solar Eclipses
Friday, August 18th - A Day of Talks and Panels
Registration is now open
Virtual Talks and Panels Celebrating Upcoming Awe-Inspiring Events
Tue, Aug 08, 2023
Solar Flare Erupts from Sun
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 6:21pm EDT on Aug 5th, 2023.
The flare is classified as an X1.6 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides information about it's strength.
This follows another strong solar flare which peaked at 7:14pm ET on July 2, 2023.
Mon, Jul 10, 2023
Scientists Have Found a Hot Spot on the Moon’s Far Side
The rocks beneath an ancient volcano on the moon’s far side remain surprisingly warm, scientists have revealed using data from orbiting Chinese spacecraft.
They point to a large slab of granite that solidified from magma in the geological plumbing beneath what is known as the Compton-Belkovich Volcanic Complex.
Thu, Apr 13, 2023
An Introduction to NASA's MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network
Join us for an exciting webinar on NASA's MicroObservatory!
Mon, Mar 20, 2023
Labs for Astronomy 101
Do you need new labs for your class, or do your labs need need to be refreshed?
Join a panel of community college astronomy professors discuss the life of labs and share new ideas to add more and exciting labs your class.