A New Horizon

SPEAKER:  Ashlee Wallace and Caity Swartz

The Western Colorado Astronomy Club meeting is Tuesday  3rd March at 6:00 PM. The live meeting will be at Mesa Room Central Library.

Over the last six years, Highline Lake has been on a mission to become Colorado's next Dark Sky Certified Park. The park has fundraised, received grants, and slowly converted all of the facilities into light compliance, but that was just the beginning. Through extensive interpretive programming, sky quality monitoring, and advocacy, the park has protected the dark skies while maintaining habitat for endangered wildlife who also depend greatly on true darkness. With a generous grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and the Colorado Lottery, Highline Lake will soon see the installation of the Horizons Amphitheater - the agency's first amphitheater designed for dark sky programming and stargazing as well as an observatory. Ashlee will share the park's successes and struggles over the years while also sharing what's on the horizon.

The meeting will also be via Zoom for those who need or want to participate remotely. You will have to pre-register to participate via Zoom. Contact us here to register.

We  hope to see everyone (either live or online) 

SPEAKER BIOS: 

Ashlee Wallace is the Park Manager at Highline Lake State Park where she has been advocating for and protecting Colorado's natural resources since 2014. Focusing on the balance between visitation with conservation, she aims to increase accessibility and experience for visitors of all backgrounds without compromising the natural resources that make Colorado so incredible. Ashlee received a Bachelor's Degree in Geology from Western Colorado University and later a Master's Degree in Conservation Law Enforcement from Unity College in Maine. When she's not looking down (looking for cool rocks, of course), she's looking up at the stars.

Caity's Bio: Caity Swartz has been part of the Highline Lake team since 2023, serving in numerous roles including Park Ranger, Visitor Services Technician, and most notably has revamped the park's interpretive programming, offering classes and clinics to the park's 250,000 annual visitors. As an educator, she has been instrumental in building connections between visitors and the park, focusing on dark sky programming and Leave No Trace principles. When Caity isn't working for the park, she's a Lead Instructor with the Outdoor Wilderness Lab (OWL), getting elementary and middle school kids into the great outdoors. In her personal time, Caity enjoys hiking and spending time with her fiancée and two children.

Notes: Payment of dues can be made at the meeting  ($36 for a regular family membership and $18 for full-time students). If paying by check please make it payable to Western Colorado Astronomy Club.  Please provide any updates to your email and mailing addresses for delivery of activity announcements and your subscription to the Reflector magazine. If you have any questions about membership, please contact us at: membership@wcacastronomy.org. Or you can pay online: here.

A Guided Tour of the 60" Refractor live from Mount Wilson Observatory  

SPEAKER:  Tom Masterson

The Western Colorado Astronomy Club February meeting is next Tuesday February 3rd at 6:00 PM. The live meeting will be at Mesa Room Central Library. Don't miss this program coming to you live from the Mount Wilson Observatory 

The meeting will also be via Zoom for those who need or want to participate remotely. You will have to pre-register to participate via Zoom. Contact us here to register.

We  hope to see everyone (either live or online) 

Tom works for the Mount Wilson Institute which is the managing non profit that operates Mount Wilson Observatory. He works in Technical Services on various projects to keep the observatory running.

From work on the historic telescope systems to maintenance and infrastructure projects on various modern systems not related to telescopes, he does a bit of everything. Also working as an Assistant Events Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator during the public season from spring to late fall. During their season he also volunteers time to give Engineering Tours to groups of people where he's focusing on the 60in and 100in telescopes. Tom is also an award winning amateur Astrophotographer and member of WCAC  

Mount Wilson Observatory websites

https://www.mtwilson.edu/vt-60-inch-telescope/  

https://www.mtwilson.edu/building-the-60-inch-telescope/

Notes: Payment of dues can be made at next week's meeting  ($36 for a regular family membership and $18 for full-time students). If paying by check please make it payable to Western Colorado Astronomy Club.  Please provide any updates to your email and mailing addresses for delivery of activity announcements and your subscription to the Reflector magazine. If you have any questions about membership, please contact us at: membership@wcacastronomy.org. Or you can pay online: here.

Magnetic Fields: Invisible Threads of the Universe

Speaker: Catherine Whiting

Colorado Mesa University Campus - Houston Hall Room 138

1150 North Avenue, Grand Junction, CO

• Meetings are open to the community interested in all aspects of astronomy and astrophysics.

• Monthly program meetings are held at 6:00 PM mountain time on the first Tuesday of the month (unless otherwise noted); Observing nights and other activities on dates and locations as noted

• We require pre-registration to attend the meetings online via Zoom.

• Please CONTACT US to request an invitation or for more information.

595 Highway #340, Fruita, CO 81521

595 Highway #340, Fruita, CO 81521

When the Stars Align: The Quest to Learn How, Why, and Where Planets Form

1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524

1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524

The Color of Space

Saddlehorn Campground parking lot

Saddlehorn Campground parking lot

Lions and Stars and Bears, Oh My!

1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524

1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524

Footloose Astronomer in Europe: On the Trail of Telescope History

595 Highway #340, Fruita, CO 81521

595 Highway #340, Fruita, CO 81521

Where is the Water in the Solar System and Where Did it Come From?

1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524

1800 11 8/10 Rd, Loma, CO 81524

451 Pendleton St, Palisade, CO 81526

To be announced

443 N 6th St, Grand Junction, CO 81501

Saddlehorn Campground parking lot

Saddlehorn Campground parking lot

595 Highway #340, Fruita, CO 81521

Dark Sky Implementation in Colorado Parks

To be announced

Astrobiology - Dr. Joshua Tan