Past Events from 2016

For photos of all past events, see Our Flickr Page. For lecture recordings, see Our YouTube Page.

To learn more about each event this year (including abstracts, titles, etc.), click on the event links below.

Friday, February 19, 7-9PM

Lecture and Stargazing - An Archaeological Road Trip with the Keck Telescopes
Lecturer: Evan Kirby
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Anna Ho, Ron Tso, Ivanna Escala
Telescope Captain: Erika Hamden
Telescope Volunteers (4): Jessie Christiansen, Adi Zitrin, Kaew Tinyamont, Kirsten Larson
GW Panelists: Chiara Mingarelli, Jamie Rollins, Leo Stein
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/02/febrary-19-first-lecture-and-stargazing.html
Clear weather
Observed first-quarter Moon, Pleiades, Orion Nebula, and Jupiter at the very end.
90 attendees
30% from caltech; mostly word of mouth

Friday, March 18, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - What Causes the Northern Lights: A Tour of Aurorae on Different Planets
Lecturer: Sebastian Pineda
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Drew Clausen, Abby Crites, Gina Duggan, Swarnima Manohar
Telescope Captain: Erika Hamden
Telescope Volunteers (4): Andreas Faisst, Jonas Lippuner, Mislav Balokovic, Mike Grudic
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/03/lecture-and-stargazing-event-with-talk.html
Clear Weather
Observed first-quarter Moon, Jupiter, and Orion Nebula
100 attendees
15% from caltech; social media and word of mouth

Friday, April 15, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - Astronomy from the Bottom of the Earth: Telescopes at the South Pole
Lecturer: Abby Crites
Lecture Captain: Anna Ho
Lecture Volunteers (3): Matt Orr, Tim Miller, Denise Schmitz, Drew Clausen
Telescope Captain: Mislav Balokovic
Telescope Volunteers (4): Astrid Lamberts, Jono Squire, Adric Riedel, Marianne Heida
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/04/lecture-stargazing-telescopes-at-south.html
Clear Weather
Observed first-quarter Moon, Jupiter, and Beehive Cluster, and Alcor/Mizar
80 attendees

Friday, May 13, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - The Air We (Can't) Breathe: A History of Air on Venus, Earth, and Mars
Lecturer: Jackie Villadsen
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Michael Wong, Ivanna Escala, Robyn Sanderson
Telescope Captain: Erika Hamden
Telescope Volunteers (4): Adi Zitrin, Sophia Dai, Kung-yi Su, Yuguang Chen
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/05/lecture-stargazing-air-of-solar-system.html
Hazy weather, but still OK for observing Moon and Jupiter for first hour
Observed first-quarter Moon, Jupiter
120 attendees

Friday, June 10, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - Black Holes Don't Suck
Lecturer: Chiara Mingarelli
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Jonas Lippuner, Rahul Patel, Leo Stein
Telescope Captain: Adi Zitrin
Telescope Volunteers (4): Andreas Faisst, Ivanna Escala, Yuguang Chen, Rhondale Tso
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/06/lecture-stargazing-black-holes-dont-suck.html
Broken clouds, but still OK to view bright planetary objects by jumping between them as visible.
Observed first-quarter Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
100 attendees, but only 60 observed.

Monday, June 20, 7-9PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Adric Riedel (Canceled), Jessie Christiansen
Volunteer / Panelist (2+): Andres Malagon, Erika Hamden, Matt Orr, Leo Stein, Hannalore Gerling-Dunsmore
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/06/astronomy-on-tap-exoplanet-roulette.html
First Astronomy on Tap event in LA. Great first event with lots of audience participation and everyone seemed to have a good time.
70 attendees, about 1/3rd of these were local astronomers. Bar full but not too full.
Three-way tie for top quiz result at 8/10.

Friday, July 8, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - Simulating the Universe on a Supercomputer
Lecturer: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Matt Orr, Abby Crites, Robyn Sanderson
Telescope Captain: Erika Hamden
Telescope Volunteers (4): Andreas Faisst, Marja Seidel, Andres Malagon, Kaew Tinyanont
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/07/lecture-stargazing-simulating-universe.html
Clear weather.
Observed first-quarter Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Ring Nebula, Albireo.
150 attendees.

Monday, July 25, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Rahul Patel, Rachel Beaton
Volunteer / Panelist (2+): Andreas Faisst, Anders Thygesen
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/07/astronomy-on-tap-jupiter-and-beer-in.html
Just prior to our event, we were written up in LA Weekly: http://www.laweekly.com/arts/11-cheap-and-free-things-to-do-this-week-7167770
Some glitches with the AV system, but overall things went very well.
110 attendees. Bar full but could probably hold another 10-20 before capacity.
Two-way tie for top quiz result at 8/10.

Friday, August 12, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - You Can't Spell Exoplanets without Ex(ecutions)
Lecturer: Jessie Christiansen
Lecture Captain: Erika Hamden
Lecture Volunteers (3): Ron Tso, Michael Wong, Elise Cutts
Telescope Captain: Andreas Faisst
Telescope Volunteers (4): Gillian Kyne, Marianne Heida, Kung-Yi Su, Mar�a Camila Remolina Gutierrez
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/08/lecture-stargazing-you-cant-spell.html
Clear weather.
Observed first-quarter Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Ring Nebula, Albireo, Perseids?
115 attendees.

Monday, August 22, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Marja Seidel, Calen Henderson
Volunteer / Panelist (2+): Rhondale Tso, Marianne Heida, Andres Malagon
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/08/astronomy-on-tap-edwin-hubble-and-earth.html
Some glitches with the AV system and the speakers/microphone not working and speakers talking too long, but overall things went well.
115 attendees.
First ever 10/10--I suspect people are using their phones to look up the answers.

Friday, September 9, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - The Invisible Universe Revealed: From Glowing Dust to Spinning Stellar Corpses
Lecturer: Anna Ho
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Katherine Deck, Anders Thygesen, Mike Wong
Telescope Captain: Erika Hamden
Telescope Volunteers (4): Jessie Christiansen, Andres Malagon, Lee Rosenthal
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/09/lecture-stargazing-invisible-universe.html
Clear weather. New location in Baxter Lecture Hall and Beckman Lawn
Using electric cart to deliver telescopes--problematic because they lay on their side and take two trips. Could damage them.
Made bright signs to direct people from lecture to stargazing--I guess they worked? Some big music event rehearsal in front of Beckman.
Observed first-quarter Moon, Mars, Saturn, Albireo
70 attendees.

Monday, September 26, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf
MC: Rahul Patel
Speakers (2): Andreas Faisst, Ragnhild Lunnan
Volunteer (2+): Rhondale Tso, Andres Malagon
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/09/astronomy-on-tap-supernovae-and-big-bang.html
Some slowness in getting started after the presidential debate, but overall good.
100 attendees.

Friday, October 7, 8-10PM

Lecture and Stargazing - Cosmic Explosions through the Ages: Supernovae Seen with the Naked Eye
Lecturer: Jacob Jencson
Lecture Captain: Anna Ho
Lecture Volunteers (3): Rahul Patel, Calen Henderson
Telescope Captain: Jessie Christiansen
Telescope Volunteers (4): Ragnhild Lunnan, Yuguang Chen, Andreas Faisst, Mike Grudic
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/10/lecture-stargazing-cosmic-explosions.html
Mostly cloudy weather. New location in Baxter Lecture Hall and Beckman Lawn
Used handcarts to deliver telescopes--Worked ok.
Made bright signs to direct people between Baxter and Beckman. Seemed to work.
Observed first-quarter Moon, Albireo
120 attendees

Monday, October 17, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf for Pasadena Astronomy Week
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Ji Wang, Astrid Lamberts
Volunteer (2+): Jono Squires, Hannalore Gerling-Dunsmore, Ivanna Escala
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/10/astronomy-on-tap-twinklin-stars-and.html
Only used speaker in front and was hard to hear from the back, but overall went well.
130 attendees.
Quiz was too hard for people, but no one was cheating!

Tuesday, October 18, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf for Pasadena Astronomy Week
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Eric Bellm, Alex Urban
Volunteer (2+): Anders Thygesen, Hannalore Gerling-Dunsmore, Andreas Faisst
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/10/astronomy-on-tap-mount-palomar-and.html
Only 60 or so people at the beginning, but people showed up throughout. Mayor Tornek attended.
100 attendees.
Two 8/10 on the quiz.

Wednesday, October 19, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf for Pasadena Astronomy Week
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Denise Schmitz, James Ashley
Volunteer (2+): Ivanna Escala, Jessie Chistiansen, Ron Tso
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/10/astronomy-on-tap-dark-matter-and-mars.html
Big turnout for the final presidential debate, the Dodgers game, and AoT. Very enthusiastic audience.
125 attendees.
Two 8/10 on the quiz.

Saturday, October 22, 12:00-8:00PM

Pasadena Astronomy Week Main Event
Shift 1 Volunteers (1:30 - 5:00PM): Cameron Hummels, Hannalore Gerling-Dunsmore, Reed Riddel, Ivanna Escala, Jessie Christiansen, Marianne Heida, Lee Rosenthal, Rahul Patel, Erika Hamden, Swarnima Manohar
Shift 2 Volunteers (5:00 - 8:30PM): Cameron Hummels, Yuguang Chen, Ricky Nilsson, Lee Rosenthal, Andreas Faisst, Anna Ho, Andres Malagon, Gary Ruane, Anders Thygesen, Xingcheng Ma
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/10/pasadena-astronomy-festival.html
Overall event went pretty well with good attendance and no major problems. Attendees worked at various locations:

1. Make a comet
2. LIGO booth
3. Two infrared camera booths
4. Roll-over rover
5. Telescopes (both solar and night-time)

By my count, there were ~1000 attendees to the comet booth over the course of the 6 hours. Caltech did well in their bright orange shirts and several of us were interviewed for local media.

Wednesday, October 26

Lecture and Lab Tour for Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) students
Leader: Abby Crites
40 students

Friday, November 4, 7-9PM

Lecture and Stargazing - How to Prepare for the Great American Eclipse of 2017
Lecturer: Erika Hamden
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Marianne Heida, Astrid Lamberts, Christine Simpson
Telescope Captain: Andreas Faisst
Telescope Volunteers (4): Anders Thygesen, Jono Squires, Mike Grudic, Lindsey Whitesides
Writeup and Recording: http://caltech-astro-outreach.blogspot.com/2016/11/lecture-stargazing-great-american.html
Slightly cloudy weather. New location in Baxter Lecture Hall and Beckman Lawn
Used handcarts to deliver telescopes--Worked ok.
Made bright signs to direct people between Baxter and Beckman. Seemed to work.
Observed first-quarter Moon, Albireo, Mars, Venus, and Double Cluster
75 attendees

Monday, November 21, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Ricky Nilsson, Hannalore Gerling-Dunsmore
Volunteer (2+): Andreas Faisst
Writeup and Recording:
Weak turnout probably due to proximity with Thanksgiving this week. Black Hole Jeopardy game a hit, but questions very hard for audience members.
Banned Phd-astronomers from winning prizes in quiz, but quiz questions probably too hard for non-astronomers.
55 attendees.

Friday, December 9, 7-9PM

Lecture and Stargazing - ALMA: A Revolutionary New View of the Cosmos
Lecturer: Nick Scoville
Lecture Captain: Cameron Hummels
Lecture Volunteers (3): Jono Squires, Masha Okounkova, Michael Wong
Telescope Captain: Andreas Faisst
Telescope Volunteers (4): Mislav Balokovic, Sophia Dai, Mike Grudic
Technical problems throughout the presentation. The AV system wouldn't broadcast the computer to the projector, so we had to use
two separate computers, a radio remote, and a few volunteers to enable movies, slide changes, and such to work. A 15-minute late start,
and a talk that went about 15 over meant a lot of time in the lecture hall for everyone. People were forgiving though, and Nick gave a very good presentation.
A bit of patchy cloud and haze, but observers were still able to see Moon, Mars, Double Cluster, and Pleiades.
90 attendees.

Monday, December 12, 7:30-9:30PM

Astronomy on Tap @ Der Wolfskopf
MC: Cameron Hummels
Speakers (2): Jordan Mirocha, Ivanna Escala
Volunteer (2+): Jeff Rich, Louis Abramson
Lower turnout than normal presumably because of the holidays, but those present were really engaged in the event.
65 attendees.

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