Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Talks & News

I'll be speaking about Palomar Observatory this weekend at Nightfall in Borrego Springs, CA. Borrego Springs is a wonderful dark-sky site. This weekend should be perfect for observing with little interference from moonlight.

Later in November, I'll be speaking at the fall meeting of the American Physical Society's New York State Section. The theme of the meeting is "A Century of Optics and Materials." I'll be presenting a look back at the telescope and the role that Corning Glass Works played in producing the mirrors for Palomar. Included will be some of the discoveries made at Palomar, what is going on now and a look at future large telescopes like the Thirty Meter Telescope. Its sort of an early kick off for the International Year of Astronomy. I am really looking forward to the trip and my first chance to see the first, failed, 200-inch Pyrex disc that was cast by Corning.

In other news, the new Palomar Transient Factory observing program, scheduled to begin later this year, is an international collaboration. It got a mention today in the Hindu News.

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