21st Annual 'Astronomy at the Beach'

What would happen if an asteroid, like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs, hit Earth?  Come listen to one of the leading researchers talk about these “Near-Earth Asteroids” at the 21^st annual Astronomy at the Beach Friday, September 29, and Saturday, September 30, 2017.   From 6:00 pm to midnight at Island Lake State Recreation Area’s Kent Lake Beach.  Note: this is a new location, marked “Island Lake Picnic Grounds” on Google Maps.

AATB is Southeast Michigan’s biggest public astronomy event and has introduced tens of thousands to the world of science and astronomy through evening lectures, telescope observing, and hands-on activities for kids.

The keynote speaker is Dan Durda, Principal Scientist in the Department of Space Studies of the Southwest Research Institute.  He has more than twenty years of experience researching the impacts of asteroids, including some very cool experiments with canons and explosives.  Learn about space rocks that approach Earth at 50,000 miles per hour!

Other activities include sky viewing with many big telescopes and laser constellation tours (both weather permitting); physics demonstrations; a 3D tour of the solar system; comet making; Michigan Science Center’s STARLAB portable planetarium providing kids a view of the stars no matter the weather; “The Rescue of Andromeda” interactive kids’ performance, plus astronomy club and vendor tables. No charge for those with a Michigan State Parks ‘Recreation Passport’ on their license plate (otherwise $11 for state residents, $9 daily pass for nonresidents).

For more info, visit our website https://www.glaac.org/astronomy-at-the-beach/   or https://www.facebook.com/GLAAC/posts/10154457193806932

or email  contact@glaac.org  or call Island Lake at (810) 229-7067 during business hours.