CHESTER, Vt. – Join SoVerA on March 12, at 7 p.m., for a presentation by member Erik Schmitt. This will be an online meeting at www.zoom.us/j/94691230307.
Most of us at some point in our lives have paused for a moment to take in the vastness of the cosmos by simply looking up on a clear night. Many have even had the opportunity to look at a handful of celestial objects through a telescope. However, it was not until the advent and then ubiquitousness of digital imaging sensors that the universe was revealed to all in such awe-inspiring detail. In addition to being aesthetically beautiful, these images also contain a staggering amount of scientific data that is a vital means to better understand our universe. Using astrophotos created by high school students at the nearby Perkin Observatory, you will learn how these images are acquired by telescopes and processed by computer software, and what can be learned from them. We will tour the cosmos from the birth and death of solar systems, to the evolution of distant galaxies, with stops at clouds of ionized gas, and the search for extrasolar planets along the way.
Erik Schmitt is a physics and astronomy educator, who is especially passionate about outreach and science communication. He is the former director of the Perkin Observatory, where he created an astronomical imaging program for high school students. As a lifelong tinkerer and space enthusiast, Erik particularly enjoys the blending of science, engineering, hardware, and software involved in imaging celestial objects. He also serves as a board member of the Southern Vermont Astronomy Group.