That time I got to see Neil deGrasse Tyson speak for free at UIndy

A free lecture by Neil deGrasse Tyson was announced to be held at the University of Indianapolis, and was open to the public! I went online the moment tickets became available and jumped all over it! I got 2 free tickets and planned to take my less than enthusiastic partner :)

When we got to the campus at UIndy, we drove around the athletic fields and couldn't find where to go. Then we saw a sign with an arrow that said "campus event" and assumed it had to be the only big campus event that night. Big was an understatement, when we pulled up in front of the basketball arena, Nicoson Hall, we saw a line down the street. It was a general seating event, and tons of people showed up to get good seats. We were an hour and a half early and still had thousands of people in front of us. 

Residents in on-campus housing were poking their heads out of their residence halls in shock, some asked what the heck was going on. On a campus of 5000 students, the additional 4000 attendants was clearly shocking. Cell phone reception was lousy as the masses flooded the small community. 

We got inside and were handed gorgeous programs for the lecture, it was so nice to read about the lecture series and I was really impressed that such a small campus was able to book Dr. Tyson. Apparently they had been working on this event for more than a year. The sunken octagon arena had permanent bleachers around the perimeter, and folding chairs down front. We were in the bleachers opposite the stage, and I felt sorry for the people trying to watch from the side or even behind the stage. 

The lecture was fun, but nothing really "new" that I hadn't already read about on Space.com or photographed myself. I think the real draw is the chance to see a science celebrity and to celebrate astronomy publicly. I came away with some new factoids, and it was fun to hear about events in the news from an expert with a charismatic and humorous delivery. This is starting to sound like a review, which it's not intended to be. I'll just say if you are already an astronomy buff and plan to see him speak in a lecture marketed to the average Joe, to expect fun commentary on very topical astronomy related news and not expect a science lecture. 

The event went over by 20 before we left, and we didn't even stay for the Q&A - it's really more than a lecture it's like a night with Neil Tyson. Lots of fun, fun people watching, and great to see enthusiasm for science right here in Indy! The UIndy campus was also AMAZING, I had no idea. There is this little canal park in the middle with bald cypress and river birch surrounding a big oval green space. I loved it!

My 15 Minutes of Fame on NPR Science Friday

Me in the studio at WFYI with my little cups of water and volume control

Science Friday: Catching a Glimpse of an Eclipse

On Wednesday I got an email from a producer for the public radio show Science Friday. She was looking for tips and apps for astrophotography, and we set up a phone call for later that evening. She asked me questions about astrophotography with iPhone apps, interesting tricks and solutions to limitations, and some general beginner level astrophotography questions. After about 30 minutes she asked if I would be interested in being interviewed on the show Science Friday. She said she would check with the other producers and get back to me on whether or not they had a spot for this kind of segment on Friday's show.

The next day, I heard that they wanted to include me as part of a larger segment. They booked studio space at WFYI, Indy's local public radio and TV station, so that the interview would sound like I was right there in the room with the host rather than over the phone.

I couldn't concentrate at work the whole next day. I was excited and nervous, and I spent time brushing up on all kinds of astrophotography facts just in case I would be put on the spot. I kept reminding myself that they asked to interview me, and that if I didn't know something it's not my fault. It's not like a job interview, it's just a conversation - I kept trying to remind myself.

I got to the station super early because I didn't want to be stressed trying to find parking at the last minute.

I met up with the audio engineer who said he had already been in touch with NPR earlier that day when they did a test to make sure the connections were all working correctly. He showed me the studio and the little waiting area lounge space. I felt like a special guest! I couldn't believe I was going to be on NPR, on the same show as NASA scientists, broadcasting live without the chance to edit.

I finally went into the studio and did a sound check. They had the microphone pretty close to my face, but I had to sort of tilt my head to the side to make sure I didn't pop my P's in the microphone. I had to say "Peter Piper picked a peck" a few times to make sure.

Next I sat in silence waiting for the show to start. Without warning, I heard the host Ira, introduce the segment with the other guest Dean Regas from the Cincinnati Observatory. I listened in and waited to be addressed.

The time during the actual interview flew by. I kept worrying I was talking like a robot, and I froze a couple times and got freaked out. But in general, I at least had something to say for each prompt and was able to contribute some actual information to the discussion. Who knows, maybe I inspired someone to try to photograph the upcoming eclipse with modest DIY equipment.  When I heard the playback I was really pleased that I sound normal and not super nervous.

The first thing I noticed was the giant Big Bird overlooking the guest parking lot

I followed the Big Bird footprints to the front door

Front entrance of the WFYI public radio station

Sound studio at the station

Meteorite Identification Kits and a Russian Celebrity

Last night the Indiana Astronomical Society hosted a presentation on meteorites by Dr. Fritz Kleinhans, associate professor of physics at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

I arrived late because I had trouble finding the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium on campus at Butler University. I also had to drive slow because there were a lot of college Halloween parties going on and pedestrians were darting out of the shadows all around me!

Fritz brought these kits of samples, and we got to identify 4 meteorites from a lineup of 6 objects. He had 30 kits for us to use, that's a lot of meteorites!

Identifying meteorites with magnets and physical characteristics

From Russia with love!

A piece of the Chelyabinsk meteor that lit up the Russian sky in February of this year. This meteorite, from Fritz' personal collection, must have cost a pretty penny! The Chelyabinsk meteor was a once in a century event, and is the most-photographed meteor air burst in history.

I also won a door prize, a copy of The Universe and Beyond 4th Edition. Woo!

International Observe the Moon Night at McCloud Nature Park

Well McCloud Nature Park has certainly been living up to its name, with hazy to straight up overcast skies all 3 times I've been out. Last night, there was a pretty good turnout from the public, but after a few quick views of the Moon, the clouds chased everybody away and we called it an early night.

Night turns to twilight in this 8 second exposure. Luckily everybody kept pretty still!

Sky conditions and horizon orange glow light pollution (original color)

20 second exposure of me and my friend John about to pack up, brightened in Photoshop.

Obligatory "International Observe the Moon Night" moon photo

Huge Turnout at McCloud Nature Park Public Stargaze

The Indiana Astronomical Society and McCloud Nature Park hosted a public stargazing event last night. I brought along my Meade 285 (2.4" refractor) with hopes of getting some tips about Barlow lenses from the other members. Before I knew it, a caravan of minivans was rolling up to the Nature Center.

By the time I got my telescope set up and centered on the gibbous moon, I had a line of ten Girl Scouts anxious waiting for a chance to peek through the eyepiece! There were kids everywhere! It turns out an entire Girl Scout troop heard about the public stargazing event and decided to make it an outing. We had 110 people from the general public in attendance! I felt so cool fielding questions from the girls and their parents, it reminded me that I know a lot about the night sky.

Wispy clouds couldn't stop this record turnout

I snapped a couple photos to try to capture the excitement. Since most of the girls were running around, they didn't show up in my 20 second exposure. But you can see the line of people forming behind the other scopes.

We had pretty good views for about an hour, then the clouds got worse

The wispy clouds limited the objects that we could see, and Saturn and Venus had already set below the treeline. I kept my scope focused on the moon for the most part, and let the bigger scopes provide views of the Andromeda Galaxy.

The moon last night, took this 20 second exposure on accident while I was using autofocus

Even with the clouds and bright gibbous moon, you could tell this location is way better than the views I get in Brownsburg. I definitely want to plan a trip during the new moon. Another IAS member told me he was there sans moon and saw the Milky Way overhead reaching both horizons!

HDR image taken with iPhone of my scope, the twilight clouds, and beautiful wildflowers in the field

McCloud Nature Park Public Star Gaze

I attended my first IAS event this weekend, a public stargaze at the McCloud Nature Park. It was a little hazy, but we were able to observe some double stars and Saturn. I even caught a glimpse of M13, but it was very faint.

I didn't bring my scope or camera to this event, but I wish I had. The moon was out and waxing gibbous, so it would have made an easy target for my basic refractor. I did, however, spend a lot of time looking through other scopes and learning a lot!

There were about 30 people there in total. Once I got over the fact that I didn't know anyone, it was a pretty fun time.

The park is out in the middle of frickin nowhere - which is the point, but wow. It took me about 35 minutes driving west of Brownsburg. It was a little unnerving going from county roads, to roads with no lines, to single lane roads with no lines, to gravel roads. The park is available as an observing site to group members, so apparently I can call any day I want and ask them to turn the lights off for me at night. Pretty cool if I know of anything worth the drive. Maybe ISON this winter will be worth the trip to dark(er) skies.

Entrance to the McCloud Nature Park

Skies were hit or miss, with some cool wisps as well

Cool! Concrete observing pads with individual power sources. Everyone seemed to favor the small hill, however, to get over the fog that rolled in.

Looking down a Dob

View from the top of the (very) small hill. 

Photos from the BGSU Observatory Transit of Venus open house and rooftop viewing

Solar filters on two telescopes for the public rooftop viewing

Tried my camera through the eclipse glasses, didn't work so well...

BGSU Observatory on the roof of the Life Science building

Sky conditions during the transit, not ideal but it'll work!

Oh, and I almost forgot - I got some pics through the telescope eyepiece with my iPhone!