September 26, 2020: COVID-19 Update: Pandemic health precautions have caused the cancellation of all club meetings, public star gazes, outreach events, and other gatherings through November 30, and possibly longer. Private star gazes for very small groups are available. When possible, we will post virtual, online links to our monthly speaker presentations.
1 October 2020 – Club Meeting Presentation
– Thursday night, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. –
This free speaker presentation will be offered virtually using the online WebEx video-conferencing platform. Follow this link for instructions on how to join this virtual meeting presentation.
Green Bank, National Radio Astronomy Observatory in West Virginia
The Great Filter: Obstacles to the Search for Extraterrestrial Civilizations – presented by Robin Hanson, Ph.D., George Mason University
The Great Filter, in the context of the Fermi paradox, is whatever prevents non-living matter from undergoing abiogenesis (the origin of life), in time, to expanding lasting life as measured by the Kardashev scale (a civilization’s level of technological advancement). The concept originates in Robin Hanson’s argument that the failure to find any extraterrestrial civilizations in the observable universe implies the possibility something is wrong with one or more of the arguments from various scientific disciplines that the appearance of advanced intelligent life is probable. Read more…
All Public Star Gazes, Scheduled
through October, are Cancelled
due to COVID-19 Health Precautions
1 October 2020 –
The Harvest Full Moon
Image: The view from Asheville, NC, as the Harvest Moon rises with the planet Mars at 9:00 pm on October 2, 2020
2 October 2020 –
Close Juxtaposition of the Planet Venus with Regulus at Dawn
Ilustration courtesy of Sky & Telescope
20/21 October 2020 – Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks
Ilustration courtesy of Sky & Telescope
