Monthly Meeting | NoCoAstro

Our monthly meeting will be held on Thursday, November 5th at the Fort Collins Museum Of Discover in the Otterbox Dome Theater. The meeting officially starts at 6:15pm but feel free to show up early for social time. We will have refreshments and snacks available at 5:45pm. Afterwards at 8:00pm, members are invited to dinner at Penrose Taphouse & Eatery. Contact Greg Halac if you are interested. Reservations are limited.

Cycles of life: how tides, seasons, and orbits shape the habitability of other planets

Synopsis: Planetary interactions are key to shaping our life on Earth, and we all have a deep understanding of it—even if the connection isn’t obvious! The rotation of Earth directs winds, hurricanes, and weather; the pull of the Moon drives tides in the oceans; and changes in the angle of the Sun in the sky throughout the year create the seasons. But Earth is not the only place in the Solar System that runs on cycles. Weather, tides, and seasons are at work throughout the Solar System on distant planets and moons that may have once, or may now, host life of their own. By studying the effects of tidal forces and seasonal variations on other worlds, we learn about the planetary environmental conditions that may enable (or prevent) life from arising. Drawing on current research by Dr. Cangi and colleagues, this non-technical talk will explore how natural planetary cycles on other worlds create environments either hostile or hospitable for life. By exploring the red planet Mars, the explosive Jovian moon Io, and the icy Saturnian moon Enceladus—host of a global subsurface ocean—we will consider what life is, what it needs, and where we might find it. Coming back down to Earth, we will wrap up with a meditation on why we search for life out there, and what it means for life down here.

Bio: Dr. Eryn Cangi is a research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), with expertise in planetary atmospheres and astrobiology. Using a mix of computational modeling and data analysis from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, she studies the atmospheres of Mars and Venus and their loss to space. She is especially interested in rocky worlds, planetary evolution, and surface-atmosphere interactions, especially sedimentary geology. A career-switcher, Eryn holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics and planetary science from CU Boulder, as well as bachelor’s degrees from the University of Oregon in physics and theatre arts. When not engaged in research, you can find her leading public observing nights at the Sommers-Bausch Observatory on the CU Boulder campus and exploring the Rockies.

Monthly Meeting General Info

Regular club meetings are currently held at the Otterbox Digital Dome Theater in the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, and are scheduled for the 1st Thursday of every month. Please verify the meeting date and location on the calendar and find out what we have planned. The business portion of the meeting is scheduled for 15 minutes starting at 6:15pm although members often show up early at 5:45pm for social time ... and snacks. :-) Regular topics include:

Announcements on upcoming NCAS events: speakers, stargazing, outreaching, etc.
Brief updates from the club president, treasurer and outreach coordinator.
Items of general interest as shared by members and visitors.

After the business meeting, speakers present an astronomy-related program beginning at 6:30pm. It is free of charge and the public is welcome. Talks are typically geared towards people with a high-school science background but the level does vary. Feel free to contact a club officer for guidance if the target level is not apparent from the talk description. Talks typically last for 45 minutes. Questions are usually welcome both during and after the talk.

NoCoAstro invites speakers to be our guest for dinner immediately after the club meeting. Dinner details are sent to the “club-news” email list shortly before the meeting. Dinner provides a great opportunity to welcome and get to know our speaker. Typically ~10 club members usually attend.

NoCoAstro greatly appreciates the members and experts in the Northern Colorado region who have taken the time to share their knowledge with the public and the club.