This in-person meeting features something for all ages!

Bring your kids or grandkids from 7:00 to 7:45 pm for some kid friendly, interactive activities to learn about and enjoy astronomy. (Adults may enjoy this too!)

Our main presentation will begin at 8 pm, with Dr. Jennifer West joining us via zoom.  (Please note, members must attend in-person).

When: Thursday March 28  at 7 pm.

Where: Beban Park Social Center, Rooms 2 and 3

Main Presentation:

Revealing the Invisible Universe with Radio Telescopes
Dr. Jennifer West, NRC will be joining via zoom at 8 pm.

Presentation Overview:

Radio astronomy has been around for nearly a hundred years. In that time, we have only managed to see a glimpse of the Universe’s many hidden secrets that can be revealed at radio wavelengths. With recent advances in computing, we have seen an explosion of new radio telescopes, including the upcoming Square Kilometre Array for which Canada has officially announced its intention to become a full member. With these telescopes comes a wealth of new and upcoming data. I will discuss some of the things that we hope to learn, the challenges we still face, and the new technology that comes with it.

Bio:

Jennifer West is currently a Covington Fellow at the Herzberg Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada.  At the Dunlap Institute, Jennifer was a Research Associate who used large radio surveys and radio polarimetry to study magnetic fields in supernova remnants and in the Milky Way Galaxy.  She worked with Prof. Bryan Gaensler to analyze data from the upcoming POSSUM (Polarisation Sky Survey of the Universe’s Magnetism) survey using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP).
Jennifer is also enthusiastic about astronomy education and outreach. She is the recipient of the International Dark Sky Association’s Dark Sky Defender Award (2011) and the RASC’s Ken Chilton Prize (2010) for her contributions to astronomy education and outreach.