Upcoming astronomy interest lectures

[Jane Houston Jones]

I hesitate to compile local science-related lectures each month, because 
there are dozens of them every month. But golly, there are so many 
amazing lectures every month - by JPL, Caltech, MWOA, Carnegie 
Observatories, local astronomy clubs, and more! If anyone wants to do 
the research, and compile the info in a monthly email, I'd help you get 
started, and authorize you to post the info to our 206-member list. We 
don't post commercial or charity fund-raising type events - just free 
and public science-related lectures or events.

In the next two weeks there are some notable lectures that I'll be 
attending (or wishing I could attend) and I thought you'd enjoy knowing 
about them.

First - this Sunday - Caltech Seismologist Kate Hutton, who is a member 
of our own otastro email list will speak to MOWA (Mount Wilson 
Observatory Association) on Sunday Jan 25 2:30 p.m. at Altadena Public 
Library. Yes there will be refreshments, beginning at 2:00.Mojo and I 
will be there. We feel bad, as sustaining MWOA members that we have 
never gone to a MWOA meeting, we've even volunteered as docents, but 
just can't afford the time to be more active in this very worthwhile 
local observatory. http://www.mwoa.org/index.html We'll be there Sunday 
to hear Kate! Jan 25 2 - 4 p.m. Altadena Public Library 600 E Mariposa 
St, Altadena Kate is also a member of AAVSO - the American Association 
of Variable Star Observers, and has attended our sidewalk astronomy 
events. :-)

Next, MWOA newsletter editor Bob Ekland, author (and amateur astronomer) 
of a fantastic astro poetry book called First Star I see Tonight 
http://www.bobeklund.com/ sent me a note about an event on Monday the 
26th. Don Benito Wilson: From Mountain Man to Mayor, Los Angeles. Nat B. 
Read reveals the amazing tale of the “pioneer, beaver trapper and 
trader, grizzly bear hunter, Indian fighter, justice of the peace, 
farmer, rancher, politician, horticulturist, vintner, real estate 
entrepreneur, and one of the great landholders in Southern California.” 
He faced near death experiences with Indians, grizzlies, and a firing 
squad. Mount Wilson was named after him. This is a story people of all 
ages will want to hear! This joint presentation is sponsored by the 
Altadena Historical Society and the Friends of the Altadena Library. 
Monday, January 26th @ 7:30 pm, Altadena Community Center: 730 East 
Altadena Drive.

Finally, Discover Magazine, National Science Foundation and Caltech's 
Thirty Meter Telescope present Mysteries of the Cosmos. January 30 7 
p.m. Beckman Auditorium, California Institute of Technology. RSVP to 
cpe at caltech.edu. Leading experts including planet hunter Mike Brown of 
Caltech and dark energy guru Saul Perlmutter of Lawrence Berkeley 
Laboratory who will debate the most compelling issues in astronomy 
today: How do Black Holes affect the evolution of the universe. This 
event will be moderated by Bad Astronomy's Phil Plait - another friend 
of ours, since we seem to be name dropping in this email. Although this 
is our Pasadena Sidewalk astronomy night, I am checking to see if they'd 
like a few telescopes out for this event. If not we'll probably be 
nearby at our usual Colorado Blvd Sidewalk event.Or not!

Clear skies to you all. I just updated my Saturn Viewing in 2009 webpage 
for JPL http://www.mwoa.org/index.html andjust looked on the JPL website 
to see what was the hot news. Darn it if our Monrovia Sidewalk Astronomy 
Night video isn't on the front page of JPL right now! Wow! 
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ (shameless plug)

updates on local sidewalk astronomy events here: http://www.otastro.org/ 
dates here

-- 
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers:  http://www.otastro.org
What's Up Podcast: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/whatsup_index.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jhjones
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/janehoustonjones