---

 

The Hanford LIGO Observatory and the Tri-City Astronomy Club are offering public lectures and star gazes on April 17 and April 24 at the LIGO facility located 13 miles north of Richland.  LIGO stands for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, whose mission is to observe gravitational waves of deep cosmic origin.  Schedules are summarized below as well as on the LIGO (http://www.ligo-wa.caltech.edu/) and Tri-City Astronomy Club (http://www.tri-cityastronomyclub.org) web pages. 

Both Saturdays feature astronomy talks, a video about studying the ultimate fate of the universe, and public viewing of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and other celestial objects found in the late winter sky using telescopes.  On April 24, two tours of the world-class LIGO facility and safe solar observing are also featured.  The moon is also visible on April 24 for close-up viewing.

Talks are suitable for late elementary age through high-school students---plus adults. Night sky observing is suitable for all ages. Observing is weather dependent.

April 17: Spring Into Astronomy!

 

7:00pm             LIGO auditorium opens

7:30-8:45          Talks (LIGO Auditorium)

(1)   Welcome and Schedule for Evening by Fred Raab, Head of LIGO Hanford

Observatory                       

(2)   How to Get Started in Astronomy--Cheaply by Thom Ahl, President of Tri-City Astronomy Club

(3)   Our Place in the Universe and What We See in the Night Sky by Ken Swanson, Executive Director of Rattlesnake Mountain Telescope Renovation Project.

8:45-11:00         Night Sky Observing Using Eyes, Binoculars, and Telescopes             

9:00-10:15         Video and discussion: “Runaway Universe”

 

April 24: National Astronomy Day Star Gaze

 

2:00-4:30pm      LIGO Lecture and Tour

4:00-6:30          Safe Solar Observing using Telescopes

7:00-8:00          Talks (LIGO auditorium)

(1) Welcome and Schedule for Evening by Fred Raab, Head, LIGO Hanford Observatory

(2)   Geology of the Moon by Roy Gephart, Astronomy columnist for Tri-City Herald

(3)   Description of the Brightest Planets Visible Tonight by Tony George, Astronomy Instructor at Columbia Basin College

8:15-10:15         Second LIGO Lecture and Tour

8:30-11:00         Star Gaze Using Telescopes

9:00-10:15         Video and discussion: “Runaway Universe”

 

For more information, contact Fred Raab at raab_f@ligo-wa.caltech.edu or Roy Gephart at roy.gephart@pnl.gov.