Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

2017 Family Astronomy Night Series

Various Evenings

Free After-Hours Family Astronomy Night runs July through October

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum will host their free Family Astronomy Night after-hours stargazing and speaker series from July-October 2017. Family Astronomy Nights are held on July 14, July 28, August 4 and October 20 at the Intrepid Museum located at Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue). Doors open 6:45 pm, talks begin at 7:30 pm.

Family Astronomy Nights feature fun-filled and educational experiences for the whole family, including talks from leading scientists and activities from the Intrepid Museum’s Education Department. Local astronomers will be on hand with their high-powered telescopes to help visitors navigate the night sky and answer questions about astronomy and star-gazing. Guests are welcome to bring their own binoculars or look through the telescopes of the experts.

The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited; entry is first come, first served. For more information, please visit www.intrepidmuseum.org

The 2017 Family Astronomy Night series includes:

Friday, July 14: Amber Straughn – Infant Galaxies to Alien Atmospheres: NASA’s James Webb Telescope

Dr. Amber Straughn is an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and a member of the Project Science Team for the James Webb Space Telescope, set to launch in 2018. This next-generation telescope will peer deeper into the universe than even the mighty Hubble. It will search for the first galaxies born after the big bang and look into the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars—unprecedented capabilities that may revolutionize astronomy and our understanding of the universe.

Friday, July 28: Matei Ciocarlie – MyHand: A Robotic Glove Prototype

Engineers at Columbia University are developing a robotic glove with applications across a variety of fields and occupations. Hear about their research, and see a demonstration of the latest prototypes. This work is a collaboration between labs in Columbia University’s Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine. Presenters: Matei Ciocarlie, Cassie Meeker and Sangwoo Park (Columbia University Mechanical Engineering Department); Lauri Bishop and Lynne Webber (Columbia University Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine)

Friday, August 4: Mimi Aung – Designing a Drone Helicopter for Mars

Mimi Aung is the project manager for the Mars Helicopter at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). She will discuss the many challenges in designing a helicopter drone that one day may fly on Mars.  Researchers at JPL are using advances in drone technology to design a small flying Martian robot to act as a scout flying ahead of the rover looking for safe routes and features to study.

Friday, October 20: Noah Petro – Shining New Light on the Moon

Noah Petro is a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. His passion for the moon is in his DNA—his father was an engineer who built parts for the Apollo lunar module and astronaut backpacks. He has worked on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter since 2011 and is helping plan for future lunar missions to the far side of the moon. Petro will talk about Apollo 17’s exploration of the moon and new findings that are advancing our understanding of the moon and its place in the solar system.