Highlands Bird and Nature Club features a 2-in-1 Astronomy Program

Description

Two fascinating astronomy topics in one evening!

The Highlands Bird and Nature Club will meet on Monday, October 12 at 7 pm at The Highland Center (61 Highland Center Dr, Monterey, VA 24465).

2-in-1 Astronomy Program featuring:

Michael Bedwell — Night Vision

Craig Sarazin — Gamma-Ray Burst: An Astronomical Mystery Story

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Topic Description: Night Vision
Highland County is blessed to have a truly Dark Sky, but this cultural and economic resource is fragile.  Find out some simple, common-sense steps you can take to protect it.  Then learn about the myriad celestial objects visible with the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes at star parties, Hayfields State Park, and your own backyard.

Speaker Bio: Michael Bedwell
Michael Bedwell has enjoyed stargazing since 5^th grade when his class studied the constellations.  The beauty and accessibility of the night sky is one of the main reasons he returned to Highland County upon retirement from public education.  He is currently president of the Friends of Hayfields State Park and has just begun the process with the park to have Hayfields certified as a Dark Sky Park by Dark Sky International.      

Topic Description: Gamma-Ray Bursts: An Astronomical Mystery Story
Gamma-ray burst are enormous explosions which herald the birth of black holes.  Craig will discuss their accidental discovery, how astronomers came to understand them, and their importance to the jewelry business.

Speaker Bio: Craig Sarazin
Craig is an astronomer who works on high energy astrophysics and cosmology (very large and/or very dangerous objects).  (Gamma-ray bursts are an example of the former.)   He was a professor of Astronomy at the University of Virginia for 47 years and is now retired but continues to do research.  He was educated at Caltech and Princeton University and was a post-doc at Caltech and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton before moving to U.Va.

https://uva.theopenscholar.com/craig-sarazin 

 Media Contact: Patti Reum, 540-292-2959, pareum@gmail.com