Past Events

Public lecture - Bringing Mars into 2020

This lecture is sponsored by the St. Louis Astronomical Society

Abstract:  Building on a heritage of over 20 years of robotics exploration on the surface of Mars, NASA is preparing for the next step in martian exploration, the 2020 Mars rover. The last four Mars rovers have made ground breaking discoveries in NASA's campaign to "follow the water," and through their work we now know that Mars was once warm and wet enough to have liquid water, rivers and lakes, at its surface. Now we are ready to take the next step. Mars 2020 will not only search for signs ancient habitable conditions on Mars, but will also directly search for signs of past microbial life. Mars 2020 is also the first step in the holy grail of Mars science, sample return! The rover will drill and collect rock cores as it drives around and cache them for a future mission to pick up, load into a rocket, and return to Earth.

I'm a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellow and PhD candidate in Washington University in St. Louis' Earth and Planetary Science Department, where my dissertation research focuses on analyzing geochemical data returned from past and present Mars rover missions. I have spent the last two summers working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. While there I worked as a systems engineer on various aspects of the 2020 Mars rover, and in hazard assessment of potential landing sites for 2020.

Astronomy on Tap STL

A Habitable Environment in the Gale Crater on Mars

Reach For The Stars

Astronomy on Tap STL

Astronomy on Tap STL

Astronomy on Tap STL

Three lectures will be given:

Dr. Wang, "New Perspectives on the Origin of the Moon"

Abstract:  The Moon has always intrigued humankind. Many myths, theories, and hypotheses have emerged throughout history to explain its origin; however, until the 1970s there were neither adequate tools nor direct samples to test these hypotheses. Thanks to the return of lunar samples via NASA’s Apollo missions, the revolutionary “Giant Impact” theory was proposed and gradually received full acceptance. It was believed that the question of lunar formation had finally been answered. In the past decade, ultra-high precision chemical and isotopic analyses of lunar samples have begun contradicting some predictions of the “Giant Impact” theory, challenging the canonical view of the formation of the Moon. Currently, we are in the midst of a crisis, an “isotopic crisis" regarding the origin of the Moon.

To solve this, we must re-evaluate our measured evidence and test new perspectives on the origin of the Moon. I will tackle this problem and address this crisis using innovative tracers of moderately volatile elements (such as K, Zn, and Cu). These elements are susceptible to evaporation and condensation during impact events of different scales. In this talk, I will use these moderately volatile tracers to test various recently proposed theories for the origin of the Moon.

Dr. Rhodes, "Creating an Eclipse to Study Alien Planets"

Dr. Krause, "Measuring the Dark Universe"

Third Nuclear and Particle Theory Meeting

The focus of this meeting is on Beyond the Standard Model Physics with Nucleons and Nuclei. This small and informal meeting is meant to bring together the theoretical and experimental nuclear and particle physics communities with the scope of fostering new collaborations.

This initiative will also be beneficial to local post-docs and students as they will be exposed to the current research programs. The meeting will be held remotely over two and a half days.

This event is generously supported by the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences.

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - Quasars: Black Holes, Bright Lights!

Quasars are very bright, very distant objects first found by the powerful radio waves that many emit. They must generate tremendous amounts of energy to be visible across a billion or more light years. Dr. Kimball will explain how quasars are detected and mapped and why astronomers think that supermassive black holes are linked to the quasar power source. She will also talk about her work with the Very Large Array, an interconnected group of twenty-seven massive radio telescopes, each with a disk over eighty feet across.   

Dr. Amy Kimball is a staff scientist at the NRAO headquarters in Socorro, NM. She assists astronomers worldwide who use the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope facility.  She is also the Head of Operations of the VLA Sky Survey, which is in the process of imaging the entire radio sky visible from New Mexico.  Dr. Kimball uses the VLA and other telescopes (both radio and non-radio) to study the demographics of quasars--- super-massive black holes at the centers of large galaxies.

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit  www.slasonline.org  or call 314-962-9231.

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - Standing on the shoulders of Apollo 15

While millions dream of traveling to the Moon, only 24 people have had an opportunity to do it. This talk aims to take listeners on a multimedia journey through space and time. We will traverse the intersection of science and exploration from Apollo 15, to the upcoming Artemis mission in 2024. Apollo 15, which just celebrated its 49th anniversary, was the first of what was called the Apollo "J" missions. Apollo 15 was capable of a longer stay time, greater surface mobility, and more significant science than previous missions. When we return to the Moon with Artemis, we will be building upon Apollo, advancements in human spaceflight from the shuttle and International Space Station, and commercial and international partnerships. Apollo and Artemis are benchmarks for what is, and what can be possible for lunar exploration. As Isaac Newton wrote in the 17th century, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend it's meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314-962-9231.

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - Water, water, everywhere

“Water, water, everywhere: from the study of meteorites to the origin of Earth's water”, a presentation by Dr. Lionel Vacher of Washington University, will be featured at the September meeting of the Saint Louis Astronomical Society. The meeting will be held via Zoom online conference only, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The meeting and lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 18. Zoom access information is posted on the Society’s website, https://www.slasonline.org/. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium, is open to the public free of charge. 

Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, to an average ocean depth of almost 2.5 miles. Where did all that water come from?  The origin of Earth’s oceans is a major topic of modern planetary science research. Most theories about the formation of the Earth propose that our planet formed too close to the Sun to retain large quantities of water. Dr. Vacher will explain the leading theories for the original source of Earth’s water, and indicate how his own studies of certain types of meteorites may provide some answers to water questions. 

Dr. Lionel Vacher is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Physics at Washington University and a member of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences.  His primary research interests include “primitive” meteorites, the origin of water in the solar system, the effects of water on meteorite chemistry, and hydrothermal experiments. 

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit https://www.slasonline.org/, or call 314-962-9231. 

St. Louis Space Frontier Meetup

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Apollo to Artemis and Beyond, a presentation by Jeff Gillis-Davis of Washington University will be featured at the September meeting of the St. Louis Space Frontier. Zoom access information will be revealed when people RSVP for the event at https://www.meetup.com/Saint-Louis-Space-Frontier-Meetup/events/273219856.

The Apollo astronauts spent only 80 total hours of EVA (i.e., working/exploring) time on the Moon's surface. Combining knowledge from their brief forays with extensive analyses of Apollo samples and lunar meteorites, remote sensing data, experiments, and modeling, scientists have learned a significant amount about the lunar environment. NASA’s Artemis missions and Commercial Lunar Payload Services will enable scientists and engineers to examine the surface up close for the first time in half a century. These new missions for science and exploration will teach us how to conduct in situ resource utilization; navigate safely in extreme conditions; mitigate dust; how to build infrastructure with soil and on top of it; and how to keep humans safe in space. The techniques scientists will develop on the Moon will make it possible for humans to safely and sustainably explore farther destinations, such as asteroids and Mars.

Dr. Gillis-Davis has been a Research Associate Professor of Physics at Washington University since 2018. For the prior fifteen years, he worked at the University of Hawaii. His research there involved data from NASA’s MESSENGER mission, which orbited Mercury, and radar data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission. At Washington University, he is the principal investigator of NASA’s Interdisciplinary Consortium for Exploring Volatile Origins. This team of international researchers studies the origin, evolution, and interactions of volatiles on the Moon and asteroids.

The Saint Louis Space Frontier is a chapter of the National Space Society. The NSS Vision is: People living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity. The chapter meets monthly, participates in outreach events, has fun at social events, and hosts the Gateway to Space Conference each fall. For more information about the St. Louis Space Frontier, please visit: http://stlouisspacefrontier.org/.

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - Black Holes: Astrophysics Final Frontier

In 1916 Albert Einstein published a paper demonstrating that space and time can be warped in the shape of a wave. One hundred years later, scientists announced the first observation of a "ripple of space-time" from two colliding black holes. Astrophysicists have discovered that black holes are ubiquitous in the universe. They come in (almost) all sizes, rule galaxies from their centers, make gold and platinum, and power the most energetic known phenomena in the sky. Black holes may even provide clues to the nature of the most mysterious substance yet to be found, dark matter.  

Dr. Marco Cavaglia is Professor of Physics at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri. He has authored over 230 publications in scientific journals. His scientific interests are in gravitational physics, astrophysics, theoretical physics, and education and public outreach.  

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314-962-9231. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium, is open to the public free of charge. 

Wednesdays with WashU: Robert L. Behnken

Join us for a conversation between Chancellor Andrew D. Martin and Robert L. Behnken, BS ’92, BS ’92, (Colonel, U.S. Air Force) NASA Astronaut. The two will discuss Colonel Behnken's experience as a NASA astronaut and his most recent Spaceflight experience as a member of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, Demo-2 mission, which landed August 2, 2020. 

A St. Louis native, Colonel Behnken attended WashU as an Air Force ROTC scholar. Behnken earned bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and engineering physics and was the university’s Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Senior. He was awarded the engineering Young Alumni Award in 2009 and the Founder’s Day Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013.

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - Mirror Asymmetry in Life and in Space

Most organic molecules exist in two forms that are mirror images of each other.  One of the great unanswered questions in our evolutionary history is why all life forms on Earth and their critical biological molecules, such as amino acids and proteins, use only one of these forms. For instance, sugars are exclusively right-handed, amino acids are left-handed, and even DNA coils into right-handed helices. The phenomenon of single handedness is called homochirality. How and why did our single-handed world emerge? Dr. McGuire will describe how we can peer into the center of our galaxy for the answer. He will also talk about the current understanding of how such an excess may have arisen in the interstellar medium and before the formation of the Solar System. 

Dr. Brett McGuire is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at MIT. He and his colleagues use the tools of physical chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, and observational astrophysics to understand how the chemical ingredients for life evolve with and help shape the formation of stars and planets. 

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314-962-9231. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium, is open to the public free of charge. 

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - Pulsars-Timekeepers of the Cosmos

Pulsars are neutron stars that are formed in supernova explosions following the collapse of massive evolved stars. These exotic objects are more massive than the Sun. They have been compressed by gravity into a sphere that is typically smaller than a city, and they can spin over 700 times a second. They have extremely high magnetic fields - over a trillion times the strength of Earth’s. These properties make them energetic sources of radio waves, which are beamed along their magnetic axes. We detect a "pulse" of radio emission once every pulsar rotation period, in a similar manner to a lighthouse. The rotation periods of pulsars can be measured incredibly precisely, making these "cosmic clocks" excellent laboratories for fundamental physics experiments. Dr. McLaughlin will give an overview of pulsars and their properties. She will also describe several recent highlights of pulsar research, including the search for gravitational waves from the most massive black holes in the universe. 

Dr. Maura McLaughlin is the Eberly Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at West Virginia University and Director of the Center for Gravitational Waves and Cosmology. She studies pulsars using the world's largest radio telescopes.  She is Co-Director of the NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center, which aims to detect gravitational waves using high-precision timing observations of these cosmic clocks.  

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314-962-9231. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium, is open to the public free of charge. 

Third Nuclear and Particle Theory Meeting

The focus of this meeting is on Beyond the Standard Model Physics with Nucleons and Nuclei. This small and informal meeting is meant to bring together the theoretical and experimental nuclear and particle physics communities with the scope of fostering new collaborations.

This initiative will also be beneficial to local post-docs and students as they will be exposed to the current research programs. The meeting will be held remotely over two and a half days.

This event is generously supported by the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences.

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - First Images of a Supermassive Black Hole

In April 2019 the first images of a black hole were released by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) global consortium. The first image showed a bright ring of energy enclosing the shadow of the supermassive black hole Messier 87* (M87*). The black hole is lurking at the center of M87, a huge galaxy located 53 million light years away. New images from the EHT map polarized radio waves that trace out the structure of the black hole’s very strong magnetic field. The EHT is a global network of large radio telescopes. Its “images” are produced by combining the radio wave observations of the individual telescopes. EHT can see a level of detail equivalent to a single telescope as wide as the Earth. Dr. Akiyama will present an overview of the EHT. He will talk about major breakthroughs that made these images possible and what these images have revealed about the nature of supermassive black holes. 

Dr. Kazu Akiyama is a research scientist at the MIT Haystack Observatory. His primary research interest involves the extreme environment in the vicinity of black holes. He uses radio telescope observations that employ the technique of very long baseline interferometry.  He joined the team of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in 2010, and has led the Imaging Working Group of the EHT Collaboration since its establishment in 2017.  

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314-962-9231. The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium, is open to the public free of charge. 

contactus@slasonline.com

XV International Conference on Interconnections between Particle Physics and Cosmology

This meeting is an opportunity to bring together scientists working on particle physics and cosmology, from an experimental or theoretical perspective, to analyze the connection between dark matter and particle physics models, discuss the connections among dark matter, grand unification models and recent neutrino results, explore predictions for ongoing and forthcoming experiments, and to provide a stimulating venue for exchange of scientific ideas among experts in these areas. 

This conference is supported by the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, the Department of Physics, and the School of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Exhibition on "Reaching New Heights: The Life and Legacy of Michael W. Friedlander"

In addition to his great commitment to his family and students, Friedlander was passionate about his research and protecting the greater St. Louis community. For nearly six decades, Friedlander educated, challenged, and inspired the lives he touched, and his efforts helped shape history locally and nationally. The Reaching New Heights exhibition celebrates Friedlander’s career and his legacy.

This exhibition was organized by Graduate Research Assistant Emily Alberts in partnership with the Museum Studies Heritage and Public History program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

She Leads Symposium @ WashU 2023

Past speaker highlights include Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, activist Tarana Burke, NASA scientist Moogega Cooper, First Lady Jill Biden, along with numerous scientists, entrepreneurs, professors, researchers, and community leaders from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.

She Leads @ WashU provides a forum that enables and empowers women to lead in the 21st century. This year's event includes the Ida H. Early Composing a Life panel, sponsored by the Women's Society of Washington University.

This event, open to the public, connects fellows, students, alumni, faculty and community members through a variety of speakers, sessions and networking opportunities.  

Leading in a JEDI Space: The Art of Inspiration

Sian Proctor will share her unique space story and how she won her seat to space as an artist and poet, and found her authentic voice through a life-long journey of exploration and discovery. During this motivating Assembly Series talk in conjunction with George & Carol Bauer Leaders Academy and WashU Leadership Week, she will take participants into a future centered around creating a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive space (J.E.D.I. space) both on Earth and beyond.