Keynote speakers Bill Ochs and Amber Straughn present about the new James Webb Telescope.
NPS/Stephanie Lamar
Friday
Astrophotography “How-to” Session
Kayla McCraren (NPS)
An opportunity to learn how to take pictures of the stars with your own DSLR camera! Note this session is intended for astrophotography newcomers. Participants should bring their DSLR camera and tripod. 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
Keynote Talk
Lunar Trailblazer Bethany Ehlman (Caltech)
The upcoming Lunar Trailblazer mission is among the first of a new type of NASA mission: small satellites for planetary exploration. Lunar Trailblazer follows up on the discovery of water on the Moon, one of the most surprising discoveries of the 2000s. Lunar Trailblazer will map the distribution of different forms of water on the surface of the moon to better understand the lunar water cycle and inform future human missions as to where supplies of water may be found and extracted as a resource. 7:00 PM -8:00 PM Tickets are required for the Keynote talks. Pick up your free ticket on a first come first serve basis starting the day before at Furnace Creek Visitor Center.
Saturday
Settling Our Place in the Universe with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
Dominic Benford(Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope)
Hear from NASA scientist, Dominic Benford, about NASA’S next flagship observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Scheduled to launch in three years, Roman is designed to settle essential questions relating to our place in the universe. It will explore how dark energy and dark matter shaped the cosmos we see around us and how the universe will evolve. It will discover a wealth of exoplanets to answer the question of whether solar systems like ours are common, rare, or perhaps unique. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
The Future of Space Exploration: From Terraforming to Solar Sails Cameron Hummels (Caltech)
Over the last 70 years, humanity has emerged from its cradle on Earth and begun to explore space, with spacecraft visiting every major body in our Solar System. Humanity is now seriously contemplating ideas that were previously considered science fiction. When will we establish a permanent presence on another world? Is it possible (or advisable) to terraform another planet to make it inhabitable for humans? Can we actually travel to neighboring star systems to study them at close range? Join me as I discuss the science of space exploration and forecast our next steps in exploring our Solar System and beyond. 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
Photographing Mars Doug Ellison (JPL)
Visitors to Death Valley leave with amazing memories and a smart phone full of photos. But what if your road trip was to Mars? What photos would you take, and how would you take them. Doug Ellison has taken more than 23,000 images with the Curiosity and Opportunity Mars Rovers, and will explain some of the challenges of operating cameras on a Mars Rover, and what might Death Valley look like if a Mars Rover were to come home - just where is the most Mars like landscape in the park? 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
Astrophotography “How-to” Session Kayla McCraren (NPS)
An opportunity to learn how to take pictures of the stars with your own DSLR camera! Note this session is intended for astrophotography newcomers. Participants should bring their DSLR camera and tripod. 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
Keynote Talk
Black Holes Don’t Suck!
Varoujan Gorjian (JPL)
What are black holes? What role do they play in the evolution of stars and Galaxies? Are they really the vacuum cleaners of the Universe? Come learn about all of their weird and amazing characteristics and see why black holes don’t suck! 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium Tickets are required for the Keynote talks. Pick up your free ticket on a first come first serve basis starting the day before at Furnace Creek Visitor Center.
Sunday
Astrobiology 101: The Search for Life on Other Planets Luke Sollitt (Ames)
Not too long ago, the idea of astrobiology was confined only to the realm of science fiction. Over the last 30+ years, however, it has evolved into a major academic field, and has become one of the principal foci of NASA’s exploration enterprise. Astrobiologists are looking for life on other worlds. What does it mean to do that? What are they looking for, and how are they looking? Dr. Sollitt will talk about what this new science is, and how it gets done with telescopes looking at the stars, missions to other worlds of our Solar System, and right here on Earth studying strange life forms that would have been thought impossible in the quite recent past. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
Astrophysicist Q&A Caltech
A panel of professional astronomers and astrophysicists from Caltech will field questions from the audience on all topics related to astronomy, physics, and space science. Join us and bring your burning questions about planets, stars, galaxies, life in the universe, black holes, science fiction, and more! 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
The Next Total Solar Eclipse: Where and How to Watch It, and What's Happening Andrea Jones (Goddard)
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing through Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Come learn where and how to watch it safely, and what's going on in space to let us witness this spectacular event. Learn too, about NASA's exploration of the Moon and our preparations to go back, with people, through the Artemis program. 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
Amateur Astronomy and Astrophotography in our National Parks and Public Lands with an intro to light pollution Jeremy Evans (IDA Ambassador)
This program covers light pollution and prevention followed by a night sky tour using basic photography equipment and deep sky telescope imaging. Featuring images from Death Valley, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Sequoia, and more, see the Milky Way, lunar rainbows, meteor showers, distant galaxies, comets and nebulas. Come learn more about night photography and astronomy or simply enjoy the slideshow. 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, Furnace Creek Auditorium
