NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors. Please visit the official website for more details.
Members of the public are invited to view the wonders of the universe through the telescopes of NOVAC volunteers at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. You do not […]
Members of the public are invited to view the wonders of the universe through the telescopes of NOVAC volunteers. You do not need to be a member of the club or own any astronomical equipment to attend. Before sunset, feel free to inspect the different telescopes and other visual equipment on the field. Have a cosmic question? One of our astronomers will be happy to help you. After sunset be prepared to enjoy the wonders of the night sky! As a reminder please ask permission from the telescope owner before using. Please monitor your children if they’re around expensive astronomical equipment. Remember, telescope mirrors are sensitive to cigarette smoke and bug spray. Pets should not be brought onto the observing field as well (unless they are service animals). Don’t forget to dress warmly. Please check the weather forecast. For lighting, cover a flashlight in red cellophane (the darker the better). Bring along water to keep hydrated and plan on staying the entire evening or as long as the weather allows. If you’re arriving after dark, please dim your vehicle’s headlights as you approach the gravel parking lot. Note: This outdoor event is weather-dependent and may be cancelled because of significant cloud cover or precipitation. Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details.
All NOVAC members, guests, and the public are welcome to attend—no RSVP required. You can attend the meeting virtually via Google Meet. Sign on at 4 pm to connect with fellow astronomers. The meeting starts at 4:30 with club information and general announcements. Program speaker starts at 5:00 pm. Drawings of comets’ appearances date back at least two thousand years, making the study of comet ‘morphology’ among the oldest endeavors in all of astronomy. While many newer techniques have been invented to study comets, assessment of their morphology continues to hold scientific value today. Dr. Knight will discuss how he uses specialized ‘narrowband’ comet filters on modestly sized telescopes to infer properties of the nuclei of active comets. Such work has occasionally yielded novel insights which are difficult or impossible to constrain using other techniques. He will also discuss how similar work can be conducted using off-the-shelf filters on non-professional telescopes, even from sea level in the Washington D.C. area.
NOVAC supports this event by providing telescope views to visitors. Please visit the official website for more details.