We are diving into the hidden, sprawling remnants of the cosmos. This two-part presentation begins with an accessible journey through the fundamental classifications of nebulae and the physics of these stellar ghosts. Then, we pivot to a surprising reality: why billion-dollar space telescopes have a massive blind spot for multi-degree objects.

For the seasoned imagers and deep-sky hunters in the audience, the second half shifts into a technical masterclass. We will cover how amateur astronomers armed with fast optics, modern sensors, and advanced processing pipelines are uniquely positioned to pull these ultra-faint structures out of the background and the exact steps to officially claim a new discovery! Learn the origins of these cosmic ghosts, understand the physical limitations of professional observatories, and discover the exact steps you can take to hunt down and officially claim your own deep-sky discovery

Zach is a biochemist who spends his days navigating the complexities of pharmaceutical research and development. His work spans the lifecycle of complex injectable drugs, from initial R&D and FDA approval to commercial manufacturing. When the sun goes down, he trades the microscope for the telescope. A self-proclaimed “astronomical insomniac,” Zach specializes in deep-sky imaging with a particular focus on planetary nebulae, driven by the persistent hope of capturing something the world hasn’t seen before.

Location: Memorial High School, Theater 300. Directions here.

This meeting will be live-streamed via our Youtube Channel.