Draft Schedule for Events

The Hanford LIGO Observatory and the Tri-City Astronomy Club will offer a viewing of the annual Preseid Meteor Shower 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.

The evening will begin at 10:00 PM in the LIGO auditorium with a talk on meteors by Tri-City Herald Astronomy Columnist and PNNL Scientist Dr. Roy Gelphart. The talk will be suitable for late elementary age through high-school students---plus adults. Night sky observing is suitable for all ages. Observing is weather dependent. Viewing will begin at the conclusion of the talk and visitors are welcome to stay until 4:30 AM, at which time the sky will be light enough to curtail the visibility of the shower. Visitors may wish to bring warm clothing and a comfortable lounge chair (or a thick blanket or a sleeping bag - the ground is hard!).

August 11: Perseid Meteor Shower

9:30pm: LIGO auditorium opens

10:00pm: Welcome and Schedule for Evening by Fred Raab, Head of LIGO Hanford (LIGO Auditorium)

10:05 - 11:00pm: Meteor talk by Dr. Roy Gelphart

11:00 - 4:30am: Meteor viewing

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