What actions are being taken by individuals and organizations, including right here in mid-coast Maine, to preserve our night skies?
PC: David Thibeault of the Southern Maine Astronomers.
WHEN: Thursday, March 31st at 6:00 PM.
WHERE: Zoom. A link will be sent following registration below.
KELT is pleased to welcome Rob Burgess and Russ Pinizzotto of the Southern Maine Astronomers for a lecture on Maine astronomy, sure to dazzle with information and sparkle with insight!
What actions are being taken by individuals and organizations, including right here in mid-coast Maine, to preserve our night skies? Russ and Rob will focus their lecture on answering this question and more! They will provide a primer on light pollution issues in Southern Maine, before launching into a conversation about SMA as an organization, as well as a conversation on ways to enjoy the evening sky right now (winter hexagon: Orion, Gemini, Canis Minor, Canis Major, Taurus, Auriga) and Ursa Major (Big Dipper) to the north. Lastly, they will cover the new challenge of satellites before launching into a Q&A session.
Southern Maine Astronomers is a community of amateur and professional astronomers that is fascinated with the science of astronomy and enjoys sharing it with others. Through star parties, lectures, school presentations, mentorships, equipment sharing and the like the club actively engages in outreach to make astronomy accessible to those with an interest. As a member of the International Dark Sky Association and Dark Sky Maine SMA is actively involved in fighting light pollution and preserving our dark Maine skies.
Russ Pinizzotto
Russ Pinizzotto is an amateur astronomer living Phippsburg, Maine. His mother says he started looking at the stars while sitting on the back steps on his father's lap before he was even a year old. While he has a B.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Materials Science, he went back to school and completed a M.S. in Astronomy online from Swinburne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. When not out observing, he is the Interim Provost at Simmons University in Boston. In Fall 2021, he taught a new course called "Women Astronomers of Boston, New England, and Beyond." Russ enjoys sharing his love of astronomy with anyone who is willing to listen!
Rob Burgess
Rob Burgess was enthralled with space as a young boy, growing up with Project Mercury, John Glenn and the Space Race. At age 9 he was interviewed by his local paper for having watched his first lunar eclipse the night before. His father was a merchant sea captain and Rob learned about some of the stars and constellations from his dad. Rob graduated from Colby College and went on to a career in law and finance – he is currently a senior vice president at Bangor Savings Bank - but has remained keenly interested in astronomy. Rob has served as a NASA Solar System Ambassador for more than 10 years, helping educate the public and school children about NASA’s exploratory missions. Rob is a founding member of Southern Maine Astronomers and for the last two years has served as its president. He has a backyard observatory at his home in Brunswick and is always willing to share it with others who have an interest.
Eager to get exploring? Check out these links to learn more about SMA’s work!