Mtg&Talks

At the Warren Astronomical Society's Cranbrook meetings, we spend the first hour or so of the meeting on club business and observing reports, then have two presentations, one short and one full-length.
Main Talk
How to Plan for the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, and Photograph It
By Dr Brian Ottum
Abstract: This presentation will get you ready for the last great total solar eclipse to cross the United States until 2045! Brian will cover the fundamentals of eclipses, travel planning, weather prospects and how to photograph/take video. After 4 successful total solar eclipse trips, Brian has a wealth of do's and don'ts. There will be plenty of time for your questions.
About the Speaker
Brian has been a fanatical amateur astronomer for fifty years, after seeing a lunar eclipse at age 12. Over the years, he has explored many facets of our wonderful hobby, from observing to research to astrophotography. He had a remote-control telescope located in the desert, but is now focused on doing live deep sky tours using a fast camera and telescope. He lives near Ann Arbor and is a member of the Lowbrows.
Short Talk
The Challenge of Interstellar Travel
Dr Dale Partin
Interstellar travel involves traveling immense distances, even to relatively nearby stars. The most distant spacecraft we have launched out into space is Voyager 1. It was launched in 1977, but is only 160 Astronomical Units (15 billion miles) from the Sun. It will be another two centuries before it even gets to the inner edge of the Solar System’s Oort Cloud (at about 1000 AU, or 0.015 light years).
Alternatives to chemical rockets are being studied that will enable faster travel. However, it will be shown that making a rocket go very fast involves immense amounts of energy. It also involves significant hazards.
About the Speaker
Dr. Partin has been a member of the Warren Astronomical Society since 1998. He has been an officer for many of those years and is currently the First Vice President. He had a career in industrial research, and now teaches astronomy at Macomb Community College and is active as an amateur astronomer.

If you would like to present either a short talk (10-15 minutes) or a full-length talk (45-60 minutes) at a future meeting, please email Dale Partin at firstvp@warrenastro.org.

The views expressed in presentations are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent, and should not be attributed to, the Warren Astronomical Society.