News

Drawings of comets’ appearances date back at least two thousand years, making the study of comet 'morphology' among the oldest endeavors in all of astronomy. While many newer techniques have been invented to study comets, assessment of their morphology continues to hold scientific value today. Dr. Matthew Knight will discuss how he uses specialized 'narrowband' comet filters on modestly sized telescopes to infer properties of the nuclei of active comets.

NOVAC member Robert Capon will present his experiences setting up a remote telescope at the StarFront Observatory in Texas. Rob will take us through the process from design considerations and transportation of the equipment, to setting it up and getting everything operational. If you’re thinking about setting up a remote telescope, you won’t want to miss this discussion.

  Electronic Assisted Astronomy: Antidote for Urban Light PollutionLiving in or near Washington DC and most of the eastern seaboard harbors challenges for night sky observing.  Severe light pollution, limited horizons, high humidity and periodic smoke particles in the jet stream and more contribute to poor astronomy observing.  A group of scientists and engineers formed a [...]

Annual Swap Meet! All NOVAC members, guests, and the public are welcome to attend—no RSVP required.Join us in person at George Mason University .Come early to connect with fellow astronomy enthusiasts and stay for our annual Astronomy “Garage Sale” event! Meeting Schedule 4:00 PM – Join colleagues at GMU for socializing 4:00 PM – Online [...]

Dr. Nancy Chabot Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART): The First Mission to Move an AsteroidOn September 26, 2022, NASA’s DART mission successfully impacted the asteroid Dimorphos and made history as the first test of asteroid deflection. As a part of NASA’s overall planetary defense strategy, DART’s impact with the asteroid Dimorphos, which poses no threat to Earth, [...]