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Sunset Science: Asteroid Day
June 30, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday, June 30
6-9 p.m.
All ages, family friendly. Adults $15, Kids $5 and Members Free.
Have you ever wondered about the difference between an asteroid and a comet? Did you know that there are people designated as asteroid hunters? Do you know how many known asteroids are in our solar system? Discover the answers to these, and other asteroid-related questions during our summer program series, Sunset Science. Celebrate International Asteroid Day at Chabot Space & Science Center with special guest speakers, Galaxy Explores demos, and hands-on workshops with staff educators.
Asteroid Day and Tracking Near-Earth Asteroids at Chabot
Gerald McKeegan – Adjunct Astronomer.
6:30pm
Every year, dozens of asteroids pass by the Earth closer than the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Although most are small and pass safely by the Earth, it is inevitable that some of these asteroids will strike the Earth, with the potential to do massive harm to both people and property. Asteroid Day is an annual event to highlight the potential for an asteroid impact, the global efforts to find near-Earth asteroids, and the possibilities for deflecting a threatening asteroid. This talk will describe the event that inspired Asteroid Day, and will discuss how astronomers at Chabot Space & Science Center search for and track near-Earth asteroids.
Gerald McKeegan joined the Chabot Space & Science Center in the year 2000 as a volunteer and adjunct astronomer. Gerald serves on Chabot’s Board of Directors, and is a member of the Eastbay Astronomical Society.
McKeegan holds a Master of Science Degree in Space Studies, and has over 40 years experience working in the space industry, where he was involved with numerous spacecraft projects, including the Space Shuttle, Cassini, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars InSight, Solar B, Juno and many others. In 1988, he was awarded the NASA “Silver Snoopy” award by the NASA Astronaut Office for his work in support of the Post-Challenger Space Shuttle Return to Flight program.
McKeegan also heads Chabot’s near-Earth asteroid search and tracking program, and has made more than 2500 asteroid observations using Chabot’s 36-inch telescope.
Space in Your Face! – ASTONISHING ASTEROIDS
with Julia DeMarines
7:30pm
What is an asteroid? How are they different from comets? What are our chances of a large asteroid crashing into Earth like the one that killed the dinosaurs? Join Julia DeMarines as we explore the different types of asteroids we have in our solar system and how we will prepare for any threatening asteroids. Stay through the end for a spaced-themed karaoke song and a quiz with prizes!
Julia DeMarines is Space in Your Face and a PhD student, Astrobiologist, science communicator working with the UC Berkeley SETI Research Center & Blue Marble Space.
Asteroid Demos
with Galaxy Explorers
6:00 – 8:30pm
Learn more about the science of Asteroids with Cabot’s teen volunteers as they present up-close science demos in Studio 3.
