Interested in hearing about space science and astronomy from in-house experts?
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and SkyNews are teaming up to co-host a new Speaker Series online, bringing those in the know to your screen.
From what went wrong on Apollo 13 to the Hubble Space Telescope’s 30th anniversary, the Speaker Series is set to focus on important issues and hot topics in the skies.
Hosted by RASC executive director Phil Groff and SkyNews managing editor Allendria Brunjes, a public Q&A follows each talk.
New speakers, talk abstracts and links will be posted here as they become available. You can also sign up here to receive notifications and the link when a new session is about to start.
Here’s what’s on the agenda.
Apollo 13: The Flight That Failed
Fifty years ago, the third mission was launched to land two people on the Moon. On the third day of the flight, a problem occurred which cancelled the plans for the lunar landing and instead, started a race to get the astronauts home alive.
In this talk April 13, Mississauga Centre RASC president Randy Attwood detailed all the things which had to go right to save the Apollo 13 crew. Apollo 13 lunar module pilot Fred Haise joined for a Q&A after the talk.
For more on Apollo 13’s failed flight, check out the latest edition of SkyNews.
30 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope has provided amazing images of the universe from its location in Earth orbit for three decades. With the help of space shuttle astronauts, Hubble overcame a major technical defect built into its main mirror, becoming a key tool in making discoveries that have fundamentally changed our view of the universe and transformed the way astronomy is done.
RASC president Chris Gainor, who is writing the official NASA history of Hubble operations, will tell this amazing story 30 years to the day that the telescope was launched into space.
Joining him is Ray Villard, the Hubble Space Telescope news chief who has been in the position for 34 years. (You know the “Pillars of Creation?” He came up with the name — but he never thought it would stick.)
For more on the Hubble Space Telescope’s 30th anniversary, check out the latest edition of SkyNews.
RASC national member
Canadian Women in Astronomy
Friday, May 8, 2020
7 p.m. EDT
A brief history of some of the important women actively involved in the advancement of amateur and professional astronomy and astrophysics in Canada over the last century.
Heather Laird is a RASC national member and volunteer, formerly a director on the national board. She also volunteers her time as one of the directors of the ambassador program for the American Association of Variable Star Observers. Still relatively new to observing and astronomy, however, her passion for the science, history, theory and physics motivates her to continue learning as much a possible.
RASC archivist Randall Rosenfeld will be joining the presentation.
Looking for more to do while stuck at home? Check out The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s pages on Homebound Astronomy classes and Self-Isolation Star Parties.
