Rick Wayne

Outreach Coordinator

Rick will moderate a discussion panel of eyepiece observers and astrophotography enthusiasts. This is a classic “clash of the titans” in the amateur astronomy world! You have the Visual Purists, who value the raw, photons-to-retina experience, and the Astro-Imagers, who are essentially part-time software engineers and heavy machinery operators. Come join us for a meetup between the ancient art of the “averted vision” squint and the modern science of the 12-hour exposure.

Maxwell Kroft

UW PhD student

How do astronomers discover and characterize exoplanets? It’s not as straightforward as spotting them with a telescope, like you do with stars on a clear night in a park. In this presentation, Max will delve into the methods astronomers employ to measure various aspects of exoplanets, primarily by observing their impact on their host stars. He’ll also share his research on exoplanets conducted using the WIYN 3.5m telescope at Kitt Peak, Arizona.

Mistakes and Second Chances

John Rummel

Photographic mistakes take many different forms. Some can be very expensive. Like when you’ve traveled thousands of miles to be in the exact location, at the exact time, to take a very specific shot. When you screw it up, second chances can be difficult to arrange, or may just be impossible.

In this March meeting presentation, John Rummel will talk about a multi-year plan to be in that spot, to take THAT shot, and how it all went wrong.