Seattle Astronomical Society Annual Gala
Details
Join us at our annual fundraising gala, it'll be an unforgettable evening under the stars! Come mingle with fellow lovers of astronomy and enjoy a nice dinner, a silent auction, an exciting speaker, photo booth, and weather permitting look through telescopes on Shilshole Bay.
When: Saturday, September 27 from 6-9:30pm
Where: Sunset Bay Elks Lodge in Ballard, right on the water
Our guest speaker is Sr Research Scientist Ian Sullivan, who specializes in Alert Production Algorithms and has extensively worked on discoveries at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.
Tickets - Get them HERE
- $75 for members
- $85 for non-members
- $125 VIP (gets early access to online auction featuring buy now options, priority reserved seating, and a swag bag)
- Buy a full table for 8 and get a 5% discount - we'll reserve it with your name
About our speaker:
Dr. Ian Sullivan is a Research Scientist at the University of Washington, where he develops advanced imaging algorithms for both optical and radio telescopes. Trained as an experimental astrophysicist launching sounding rockets with NASA, he now works at the intersection of astronomy and data science, designing instruments and technologies that push the frontiers of discovery. He leads the Alert Production team for the Rubin Observatory (rubinobservatory.org), which will provide real-time detection of transient and variable objects in the night sky. Ian also created the Fast Holographic Deconvolution (FHD) pipeline, used to calibrate and image data from radio telescopes including the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA).
A Northwest native, Ian grew up exploring Oregon’s trails with his father, author of the state’s well-known hiking guidebooks. He now lives in Seattle with his wife, Lea, and their two high school–aged children, with whom he shares a love of science, stargazing, and the outdoors.
The night includes:
- Dinner (food + non-alcoholic drinks + alcohol for purchase)
- Silent auction (astronomy gear, astrophotography & more)
- Photobooth + networking with fellow astronomy lovers
- Exciting speaker on the Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile
- Viewing the stars through telescopes on the lawn - weather permitting
Seattle Astronomical Society Annual Gala