Monthly Meeting | NoCoAstro

Our monthly meeting will be held on Thursday, April 3rd 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.

Dr. Ryan French, CU Boulder - Earth at Sun’s Mercy

Synopsis: Despite its seemingly unchanging appearance in the daytime sky, the Sun is incredibly dynamic and shrouded in mystery. Descended from ancestors who hailed the Sun as a deity, the way we observe the Sun has come a long way. Our scientific journey to understand the Sun has included many intriguing and humorous stories from over the centuries, including tales of 11th century monks, feuds of 17th century astronomers, and a part-time brewery owner who discovered the link between the Sun and northern lights. The influence of the Sun’s activity on the near-Earth environment is known as space weather, which has the ability to damage satellites, disrupt power grids, and deliver harmful levels of radiation to astronauts. In this talk, we’ll explore how humanity is adapting to living under a star, and how our understanding of the Sun has helped unlock the wider secrets of the universe.

If there is demand for it, Ryan will also be selling personalized signed copies of his book, ‘The Sun: Beginner’s guide to our local star’. ($15, cash or Venmo)

Bio: Dr. Ryan French is a solar physicist at the National Science Foundation’s National Solar Observatory, science communicator, and author. Since completing his PhD in 2022, he is pursuing the mysteries of the Sun at the forefront of modern solar physics research, using cutting edge telescopes on the ground and in space. Ryan also works to share the wonders of the Sun and space with the public, through social media, public talks, and on television and radio.

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.

Past Presentations

Below is a table you can sort and search containing a list of the past speakers at NoCoAstro’s Monthly Meetings.