Cedar Amateur Astronomers Public Night

Cedar Amateur Astronomers invite the public to this free presentation on October 7, 2023 at 7:30 PM at the Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center, 1365 Ivanhoe Road, SW of Mt. Vernon.

The Parker Solar Probe has now traveled far closer to the Sun than any human-made object, 20 times closer to the Sun than the Earth, and 6 times closer than Mercury. This orbit allows us to measure the early acceleration and evolution of the solar wind, a stream of hot plasma that flows outward from the Sun at speeds of a million miles an hour. It also allows us to see the birthplace of space weather events that eventually impact the rest of the solar system, including our home planet.  

Join Cedar Amateur Astronomers as we host Jason Halekas, University of Iowa professor of physics and astronomy. Halekas will give an overview of the Parker Solar Probe and discuss recent highlights.

Weather permitting, after the presentation CAA members will be manning several of our large telescopes as well as giving sky tours in our outdoor planetarium.