Meeting Schedule 2011 / 2012
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Meeting is open to the
public, students are encouraged to attend
This meeting is open to the public and hosted by Rittenhouse Astronomical Society members. Franklin Institute members are always invited to attend. Guest are welcome to attend along with the general public. Students are encouraged to attend. |
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If you know of an interesting
guest speaker, have an idea or suggestion for a future meeting, |
Meeting Schedule 2011 / 2012
| DATE |
Astronomy LESSON |
Feature TOPIC |
SPEAKER |
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September 14, 2011 |
Welcome to Rittenhouse / Last of the Summer Stars? |
Planetaria and their Effect on Modern Culture |
Laura Misajet Zeiss Planetaria |
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October 12, 2011 |
Astronomy APPS How to use Astronomy Apps to observe the night sky: Astrolabe Planisphere Living Earth Messier List SkyWeek |
Starpiles in Clusters of Galaxies |
Dr. Mitch Struble University of Penn |
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November 9 2011 |
Sights along the Milky Way Members point out and demonstrate ways to find their favorite deep sky sites along the Milky Way |
Detecting ExoPlanets |
Dr. Hanno Rein Institute of Advanced Studies |
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December 14, 2011 |
Solstice! Path of the Gods New Exoplanets |
Sounds of the Universe |
Charles Zarcone Delaware Valley Astronomical Society |
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January 11, 2012 |
Visible Planets Astronomy Apps Jupiter Atlas Venus Globe Mars Globe |
8 Years of Mars Rovers Search for Life (Mars and Vesta in 3 D) |
Dr. Ken Kremer Universe Today Space Flight Magazine Correspondent NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador |
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February 8, 2012 |
7:30: Winter Stars Binocular and Small Telescope Sights Ted Williams |
Voyage to Jamestown |
Dr. Robert Hicks Celestial Navigator Author Director of the Mutter Museum |
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March 14, 2012 |
AMENDED SCHEDULE Members join in Community night to tour Franklin Institute Starts 5:00 pm. |
Johnsville Centrifuge
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Mike Maguire Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum 8:10 PM |
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April 11, 2012 |
Astronomy and the early Land Surveyors |
Jonathan Tabas Land Surveyor Tentative: Invitation extended |
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May 9, 2012 |
Southern Sights The Denise Vacca Project |
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June 13, 2012 |
Open House Members Presentations: (20 minutes each) 7:15 Welcome: Ted Williams 7:20 What to look for: Alan Daroff 7:30-7:50: Shaun Rush - Rocket to the Mun 7:50-8:10: Chris Richardson - Searching for Exo's 8:10: Pres. Address-Dr. Milt Friedman 8:20-8:40: Brian Paton - Sky Safari 8:40-9:00 Dr. Ken Kremer - Vesta, Clearer than Ever ! We can always use a back up speaker in case someone cannot make it. Contact Alan Daroff or Ted Williams to be put on the stand-by list ! |
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If you know of an
interesting guest speaker, have an idea or suggestion for a future meeting,
contact Alan Daroff or
Ted Williams.
PAST
| DATE |
Astronomy LESSON |
Feature TOPIC |
SPEAKER |
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October 13, 2010 |
Welcome to Rittenhouse / Planispheres- Paper vs. Software |
"The Space Shuttle, The Space Station and What's Beyond for NASA" Focus on Orion & Falcon 9 |
Dr. Ken Kremer NASA / JPL Solar System Ambassador |
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November 10, 2010 |
Members Networking Site / Autumnal Skies |
Planetarium Evolution Spitz Planetaria and their role in public education |
Joyce Towne Spitz Inc. |
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December 8, 2010 |
Stars of Winter Stars of Color |
Dark Side of the Universe Users Guide to the Universe io9.com - Ask a Physicist |
Dr. Dave Goldberg Associate Professor Drexel University Department of Physics |
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January 5, 2011 |
RAS members share their favorite night sky sights |
Robert Nemiroff Astronomy Picture of the Day: Creator, Lead Writer, Editor Best Space Pictures of 2010 Major review of Astronomy developments in 2010 |
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February 2, 2011 |
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March 9, 2011 |
Exoplanet Application Developer, Author Hanno Rein |
Astronomy Education Today |
Dr. Bill Metz Author Inquiry By Design |
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April 13, 2011
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North Galactic Pole |
Prescription for Space Medical Implications of Space Travel |
Dr. Milton Friedman RAS President |
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May 11, 2011 |
Looking over the Galactic Core | History of Space Travel |
Dave Walker Franklin Institute Fels Planetarium |
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June 8, 2011
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Multiple Topics for our Year end WRAP-UP Open House - Members Present: Venus Transit / Preparing for the optimum view -Drew Maser Sky Tonight -Alan Daroff Weekly Challenge Review -Ted Williams Google Astronomy KLH layers -Mike Mountjoy Hubble Review -Brian Paton Mars Rover Review -Dr. Ken Kremer Fly Me to the Moon -Shawn Rush Understanding R.A. and Dec. -Luke Brown Most Amazing Vehicle Ever Built -Denise Vecca Observatory - Weather Permitting, -Dr. Carol Ludolph / Dave Walker |
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PAST
Meeting Schedule 2009 / 2010
| DATE |
Astronomy LESSON |
Feature TOPIC |
SPEAKER |
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September 9, 2009 |
Welcome to Rittenhouse RAS Secretary |
Fixing Hubble: Eyewitness to Shuttle Atlantis Launch |
Dr.Ken Kremer NASA Solar System Ambassador / RAS Member-At-Large |
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October 14, 2009 |
All presentations tonight can be considered Lessons |
Members Night 1- LRO and LCROSS Post Impact Update 2-Scanning the Sky SETI at home 3-Sky Tonight 4- Educational Outreach 5- Planisphere |
RAS Members 1- Ken Kremer 2- Mike Mountjoy 3- Alan Daroff 4- Ruth List 5- Ted Williams |
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November 11, 2009 |
The Inverse Square Law and Astronomy Frank Bellomo RAS Member |
Beginning Astrophotography with a Digital SLR |
Jerry Lodriguss Catching the Light Willingboro Astronomical Society |
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December 2, 2009 |
International Space Station, The Future of Human Space Flight |
Commander Chris Ferguson NASA Astronaut/Pilot |
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January 13, 2010 |
Bright Winter Stars Over Philadelphia (Winter Hexagon, Color Wheel) |
International Year of Astronomy Looking Back, Looking Forward |
Derrick Pitts Franklin Institute |
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February 10, 2010 |
Snowed Out |
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March 10, 2010 |
Psychological Archeology Humanizing the Universe (Planetarium presentation) |
Astronomical Web Resources |
Terry Underkoffler Instructional Technology Specialist |
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April 14, 2010 |
"Selected Sights" Astronomical objects highlighted in recent RAS newsletters on display |
Project ASTRO |
Dr. Karen Vanlandingham
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May 12, 2010 |
NASA Classroom Project Rittenhouse Educators |
A Research-Based Approach to Teaching and Learning Astronomy in the Planetarium |
Dr. Julia Plummer Arcadia University Coordinator of Science Education |
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June 9, 2010 |
Multiple Topics for our Year end WRAP-UP Meeting Open to the Public Lagrangian Points -Frank Bellomo- Summer Milky Way -Ted Williams- Armand Spitz -Dr. Milt Friedman- Sky Tonight, and near future -Alan Daroff- Eyewitness Highlights from Last flight of Shuttle Atlantis -Dr. Ken Kremer- New Electricity Exhibit -Mike Mountjoy- Observatory - Weather Permitting, -Dr. Carol Ludolph / Dave Walker- |
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| Meeting Night 6/8/2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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| Meeting Night 5/11/2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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SPACE CADETS TO SPACE
STATION Our progress in Space Travel To be presented by David Walker, long time Rittenhouse Member-at-Large as Liaison to the Franklin Institute and Planetarium Navigator/Operator/Lecturer. |
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In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of
human space travel the audience will receive
an overview of the history of space flight
from the fantastic dreams of writers to the
ubiquity of space in our daily lives.
Included will be the historic roots,
triumphs and tragedies, and some of the
often overlooked challenges to making space
flight real. Dave supplements his interests sharing his expertise working as technology implementer at the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. |
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| Meeting Night 4/13/2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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How will astronauts endure extended missions? What medical implications are there for traveling to the moon, the planets, and possibly other star systems? With Dr. Friedman's combined background as a medical doctor and the president of our society, he can give us a unique perspective of what future space travelers will have to contend with physically and medically. |
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| Meeting Night 1/5/2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Doctor Robert Nemiroff :Author/ Editor |
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Continue the experience and take a course on You Tube
with Dr. Nemiroff |
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| Meeting Night 12/8/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Thank you Dr. Dave Goldberg for shedding some light (so to speak) on the Dark Side of the Universe. Dr. Goldberg addressed our membership for our December Meeting.
Drexel University Department of Physics
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| Meeting Night 11/10/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Joyce Towne |
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Joyce Towne
(past RAS member and educator/producer at the Fels Planetarium) will
join us for a retrospective review of Armand Spitz (past RAS
president and member) and his quest to bring astronomy to the masses in
planetariums manufactured here in Pennsylvania. Armand Spitz has
long since passed away but his legacy lives on. Learn how planetaria
evolved as Armand attempted to make these facilities affordable to many
schools and museums. Joyce will talk about the evolution of the
instrument into what is considered "state-of-the-art"
today. |
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| Meeting Night 10/13/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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"The Space Shuttle, The Space
Station and What's Beyond for NASA" |
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NASA is at the crossroads. So much is happening between our Shuttle Program winding down, completing the ISS and the ever changing future objectives of our space program. Dr Ken Kremer will present an insider's view of the thrilling final shuttle missions....... |
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 Our
October meeting featured
Dr. Ken Kremer who talked
about visiting the Falcon Rocket Launch. A successful launch
occurred on December 8. Read about the challenges that detained
the rocket on the launch pad in Dr. Kremer's posting at the
Planetary Society Blog. |
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| Dr. Kremer has recently constructed an original mosaic now published on Universe Today. We have asked Dr. Kremer if he might make frame-worthy prints (for a reasonable fee) of his mosaic work that has appeared on various magazine covers (selected due to the outstanding nature of each) for interested members. He has provided samples shown below for your review (low resolution.) Contact Dr. Kremer by e-mail or at our meetings for more information. | ||||||||||
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| Also at our October meeting we were treated to a special guest appearance by J-Walt called Spontaneous Fantasia. You can contact and find more information about this performance artist at the Spontaneous Fantasia website. | ||||||||||
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| Meeting Night 6/09/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Members Present A wide variety of topics were enjoyed by our members, guest and the public which included: |
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Sky Tonight, and near future -Alan Daroff- |
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| Meeting Night 5/12/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Assistant Professor |
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Early Elementary Students' Development of Astronomy |
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| Meeting Night 4/14/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
| Dr. Karen Vanlandingham shared information on PROJECT ASTRO. West Chester University will be conducting a workshop this summer. | ||||||||||
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Meeting Night
3/10/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Terry Underkoffler did an amazing job of showing of some valuable resources. Many requested we post the sites and uses on our website for further exploration. (Thanks Terry !) Here are the highlights below: |
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| TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. | ||||||||||
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Microsoft Telescope |
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| World Wide Telescope (WWT) enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world. Experience narrated guided tours from astronomers and educators featuring interesting places in the sky. | ||||||||||
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Google: IGoogle |
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| iGoogle lets you create a personalized homepage that contains a Google search box at the top, and your choice of any number of gadgets below. Gadgets come in lots of different forms and provide access to activities and information from all across the web, without ever having to leave your iGoogle page. | ||||||||||
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Diigo: Online Bookmarking
Tool |
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Diigo is a free social bookmarking, research, and knowledge
sharing tool created to mimic the ease of taking notes while providing a
network for sharing and discovering information.
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| Meeting Night 2/10/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Snowed Out ! Museum
Closed for Evening
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| Meeting Night 1/13/2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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International Spokesperson for |
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| It is always a great opportunity to have the Chief Astronomer of the Franklin Institute address our group. As the national spokesperson for the International Year of Astronomy, Derrick was able to share a unique perspective on the I.Y.A. and what was achieved, and what we can carry foreword into the new year. | ||||||||||
| Meeting Night 12/2/2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
| Our final meeting of 2009 was a fitting special event to celebrate the close of the International Year of Astronomy. Commander Ferguson spoke to members and guests in Franklin Hall of his travels to the International Space Station, and the excitement of piloting the space shuttle. Despite the rain, a great turnout filled the hall as members and guests sat with Ben intently listening to the commander while watching selected movie clips and favorite pictures he selected to play on all four screens of the new multi-media extravaganza recently installed in Franklin Hall. Ben Franklin was seen smiling. | ||||||||||
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NASA Astronaut
Christopher Ferguson |
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| Meeting Night 11/11/09 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
| We are quite fortunate to have Jerry Lodriguss as our presenter for our upcoming meeting on November 11 2009. Many of our newer members have expressed interest in photographing their view. Mr. Lodriguss maintains an amazing website of his photography of the sky at: | ||||||||||
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| You may want to check out his work and new book on CD-ROM "A Beginners Guide to DSLR Astrophotography" before our next meeting. | ||||||||||
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| Meeting Night 10/14/09 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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Members Night: Members are invited to present a short topic of Astronomical or scientific interest. You could share information about a star party you attended, courses you would recommend, or a topic you feel would be of interest to fellow society members. The meeting agenda is now forming. If you want to be included on the agenda contact us with your topic.
Members Presentations Included: |
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| Meeting Night 9/09/09 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | ||||||||||
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NASA’s final human spaceflight mission to the iconic Hubble Space Telescope was dramatically accomplished by Shuttle astronauts in May 2009. Dr Ken Kremer will present an up close eyewitness account of the thrilling launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis from the Kennedy Space Center on its historic mission to restore and upgrade Hubble to the apex of its scientific capabilities. Ken will speak on the highlights, purpose and success of the daring shuttle flight STS -125 to save ‘The Peoples Telescope’. He will present a behind the scenes perspective with top NASA and Hubble scientists while reporting in real time for The Planetary Society and Spaceflight magazine. |
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 Atlantis leaving launch pad ~ Rarely seen view from inside the VAB as I peer out from the 16th Floor towards pad 17 A and crawler-way as Space Shuttle Atlantis enters atop crawler transporter. Atlantis was rolled back from the pad in late October 2008 after postponement of SM-4 servicing mission. Credit: Ken Kremer . |
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| DATE |
Astronomy LESSON |
Feature TOPIC |
SPEAKER |
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September 26, 2007 |
In the Beginning A graphic representation of the Big Bang |
Special Event Kick-off! Attend and be sure to see some amazing sights from Astronomy Picture of the Day |
Robert Nemiroff Creator, Lead Writer and Editor of Astronomy Picture of the Day |
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October 10, 2007 |
New Student Website Downloading and Using Stellarium / Accessing our Rittenhouse News feed |
Celebrate World Space Week Launching Dawn (and Phoenix): From behind the scenes at Kennedy Space Center Press Site |
Dr. Ken Kremer NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador |
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November 14, 2007 |
All Presentations tonight can be considered
as astronomy lessons. |
Members Night Presentations: 1- Sky Tonight 2- Google, Dark Skies 3- Student Website- Resources 4-Ast. sftwr for your PC 5- Eye on the Sky 6- Sputnik 7- Titan's Lakes 8-Why attending a Planetarium Conference ? |
Rittenhouse Members 1- Alan Daroff 2- Mike Mountjoy 3-Dan McCormick 4-Ruth List 5-Dan Benedict 6- Dave Walker 7- Ken Kremer 8-Ted Williams |
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December 12, 2007 |
Solar Neighborhood What is it? What does it encompass? |
Planets, Planets Everywhere But only Eight for us |
Dr. Karen Vanlandingham West Chester University Planetarium |
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January 9, 2008 |
The Planets Mythology and Science |
Family Night Celebrate the Solar System through the Eyes of a Musician! Gustav Holst ~ The Planets |
Ed McCafferty Methacton School Dist. Lori Weidner Neshaminy School Dist. |
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February 20, 2008 |
Roof-Top Viewing /
Observatory Viewing LUNAR ECLIPSE Presentation: Lunar, Solar, and Martian Eclipses Dr. Ken Kremer |
Rittenhouse Society Members: |
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March 12, 2008 |
Saturn Finding it in the Night Sky What to Look for, what can you observe? |
Postcards from Saturn |
Dr. Ann Schmiedekamp Penn State Abington NASA Solar System Ambassador |
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April 9, 2008 |
Rittenhouse Astronomical Society A little bit about us |
Celebrating William Hershel Special Musical-Multi-Media Event Special Guests: CHESTNUT HILL ORCHESTRA
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Martin Knoblauch Rittenhouse Member-at- Large |
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May 14, 2008 |
Sky Tonight |
Report from the Lynch Observatory |
John Parejko Drexel Observatory Representative |
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June 11, 2008 |
The Challange: Operating the Observatory, Project report on the Development of a Computer based tutorial. |
The Solution: Presentation of the observatory training program. |
Members Night Philadelphia University Graduate Students Software Presentation |
| DATE |
Astronomy LESSON |
Feature TOPIC |
SPEAKER |
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September 13, 2006 |
~Start in October |
Members Night Presentations: 1- Sky Tonight 2- Astronomy Courses 3- Space Command 4- Stonehenge and Beyond 5- Spinning |
Society Members: 1- Alan Daroff 2- Ruth List 3- Mike Mountjoy 4- Peg Labosh 5- Ted Williams |
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October 11, 2006 |
Circumpolar
Stars How to locate them Why they appear circumpolar? |
Refurbishing the Bloom Observatory |
Derrick
Pitts Franklin Institute & Chris Ray Antique Telescope Society |
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November 8, 2006 |
The Ecliptic Plane |
Mercury Transit: Afternoon thru Sunset- Rooftop Observatory. Purchasing a telescope? Early enough to shop or have delivered for the Holidays. |
Society Members: Alan Daroff Ted Williams Dave Walker |
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December 13, 2006 |
Celestial Motions Daily, Annual, Planetary, Precession, Proper |
Earth to the Moon and Back in 2.6 Seconds & Tic Toc Tic Toc David Rittenhouse |
Alan Daroff Rittenhouse Astronomical Society V.P. |
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January 10, 2007 |
Constellations marking the Galactic Plane |
From Earth to the Moon(s) Exobiology |
Dr. Chris Sommer Bucks ~ Mont. Astronomical Society |
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March 14, 2007 |
Web Project Categorize the Universe |
The Universe in 3-D |
Dr. Albert Lamperti 3-D Anaglyph |
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April 11, 2007 |
An Inconvenient Truth Recent Findings offer More Support |
Mars, Saturn, Comets and Beyond in 3-D |
Dr. Ken Kremer NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador |
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May 9, |
IN STEARNS AUDITORIUM God, Astronomy and the Search for Elegance |
Brother Guy Consolmagno Vatican Astronomer Curator of Vatican Meteorite Collection |
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June 13, 2007 |
IN MUSSER HALL Operating a Planisphere We will supply you with a planisphere and teach how to use it. |
IN MUSSER HALL Inspired by the Worlds Leading Telescopes
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Louis Berman ScopeSeeing Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers |
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