Author: Payton Cassel

First Meeting TOMORROW!

Hello, new and present members! A BIG thank you to those who stopped by our Virtual Involvement Fair booth and to those who marked their interest in our club – welcome to The Astronomical Society at Ohio State!

As we gear up to take on a new school year, we at the Astro Society recognize that things are incredibly confusing right now. Amidst these stressful and confusing times, we thought that we, the Astro Society leadership, might share some information with newcomers to the club. First, we offer a very warm welcome, and we look forward to getting to know each and every one of you – whether that is strictly virtually or in person. Second, we thought that we would introduce ourselves as your executive board for the upcoming year! Following that, you will find info for our next meeting and an upcoming event. Once again, welcome all, and let’s start this semester right!

If you have friends who were unable to visit us at the involvement fair or know anyone interested in astronomy & space, have them visit osu.campusgroups.com/8744/club_signup to join our CampusGroups page and/or visit forms.gle/LrpHkBhmRcJhPNNH9 to sign up for our mailing list! They can also visit us at go.osu.edu/astrosociety. Any questions or other inquiries can be sent to astrosociety@osu.edu!

First Meeting of the Semester Thursday (August 27th) @ 7pm EDT!

During our first regularly scheduled meeting of the Autumn 2020 term, the executive board will introduce themselves and share information about the club! Plans for the upcoming term will also be discussed, with an opportunity for new and returning members to share ideas for meetings. At the end of the meeting, there will be an astronomy trivia game! The meeting will be at 7pm EDT on Zoom and will be recorded.

To join the meeting on Zoom, visit osu.zoom.us/j/95003000086. If asked for a password, enter 980727. A reminder email will be sent on the day of the meeting as well!

NEW Monthly Movie Nights

Monthly Movie Nights with OSU AstronomyWednesday, August 26th @ 8pm EDT!

The Ohio State Department of Astronomy is launching a new virtual outreach program—Monthly Movie Nights: Science Fiction VS. Science Fact. Each month, Anna Voelker (SciAccess and Making Space for All organizer) will host a panel discussion with subject-matter experts who will help uncover the real science hidden within our favorite sci-fi films! Join their second installment from 8:00-9:00 PM ET for a discussion on the film The Martian.
Register for free at osu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CopbgXlyQN6wQoViR7PBdQ. Please see the attached flyer to learn more, or visit the event page astronomy.osu.edu/events/monthly-movie-nights-martian-science-fiction-vs-science-fact. There will be spoilers, so be sure to watch the movie beforehand! This event will have ASL interpreting and live CART captioning.

Virtual Involvement Fair

OSU Virtual Student Involvement Fair Sunday (August 23rd) from 4-7pm EDT!

Ohio State’s Student Involvement Fair is going virtual this semester! Visit online booths for different clubs, organizations, departments, and more this Sunday, August 23rd from 4-7pm EDT. Students can create a profile for the involvement fair at go.osu.edu/sif and find info on how to create their profile, how to navigate the fair, FAQs, and more. The fair is being hosted at osu.campusgroups.com and opens up on Sunday.

Astro Society will be there! Search for ‘Astronomical Society’ during the fair to find our booth. During the fair, we will be hosting a Zoom meeting for people to ask questions and have discussions with us! If you’d like to join, you can find the Zoom link at our booth or click here. If you’d like to join Astro Society on CampusGroups, visit osu.campusgroups.com/8744/club_signup

Meet the 20-21 eBoard

President Caitlin O’Brien 
Sophomore
Astrophysics & Astronomy and Physics Major
Dublin, OH

My name is Caitlin O’Brien, a rising sophomore double majoring in astronomy and physics who will be serving as your president of Ohio State’s Astronomical Society this year. Astronomy is an enormous part of my life; in addition to Astro Society, I intern with the SciAccess Initiative to promote inclusivity and diversity in astronomical sciences. I also am heavily involved with the Arne Slettebak Planetarium here on campus as a presenter and show programmer, which I would highly recommend checking out when we reopen post-COVID. Outside of space science, I also work as a freelance photographer, theater technician, and escape room operator. I am honored to be able to dedicate myself to this club as your president, and I look forward to this year to come!

Co-Vice President Payton Cassel
Sophomore
Astronomy & Astrophysics Major
Medina, OH

Hello, my name is Payton Cassel, and I am the organization’s Co-Vice President along with Simon Filbert. I am a Mount Leadership Society Scholar and I volunteer with the Ohio Association of Student Leaders in my spare time. Along with Astro Society, I am involved with Cru, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and the Coffee Roasting Club. I have been involved with the Astronomical Society since Freshman year and loved every minute of it, whether it was going on trips to the John Glen Astronomy Park or sitting on top of Smith watching the stars. My favorite memory of Astro Society was going to the Green Bank Observatory with many other club members. There, I got to connect with other astronomy majors, learn about radio astronomy, and even take my own data using a 40′ radio telescope. Astro Society opened me up to so many opportunities and I am so excited to be a part of this year’s executive board!

I have had an interest in astronomy since high school when my physics teacher began talking about dark matter and energy. Ever since then I have been eager to learn more about our universe. Last year, I worked with Gabriel Vasquez on a small research project over Dark Energy through a group called Polaris.

Co-Vice President Simon Filbert
Sophomore 
Physics & Astronomy Double Major 
Evansville, IN

Hi, my name is Simon Filbert! I am currently one of the two vice presidents for the Astronomical Society at The Ohio State University. I am a sophomore pursuing majors in physics and astronomy. Along with astro society, I am also an events chair for an organization on campus called Scientific Thinkers. This organization does outreach for Columbus area elementary school children by doing experiments and engaging discussions. This is an organization and causes that I am very passionate about. In my free time, I enjoy reading and video games mostly.

My story behind why I got interested in astronomy is not as interesting or clear cut as others. Although I have always been interested in space and science, I would say that the real catalyst behind my choosing to study astronomy and physics was popular science films and T.V. shows. Such titles as “Interstellar” and “Through the Wormhole” made me realize that the universe we live in can be just as far out as science fiction. Gradually, I began to recognize my yearning to understand the inner-workings of the world around me, eventually making the decision to study physics at OSU. My interest in observational astronomy began after attending a meeting for the local astronomical society in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana. Being an out of state student and coming to a school with no familiar faces, I was worried about making new friends. Luckily for me, I have been able to make so many amazing new friends, especially through the Astronomical Society. I am so happy to be serving as a VP of such an amazing club, and I look forward to new friends and new experiences to come. 

Treasurer Hannah Parsons
Sophomore
Astronomy & Physics Double Major
Mason, OH

Hi, I’m Hannah Parsons, and I am the treasurer of the Astronomical Society at The Ohio State University! I’ve loved learning about space and looking at the stars ever since I was a little kid, but only seriously decided to study astrophysics during high school thanks to some amazing teachers. In my spare time, I like to read and cook. Joining the astronomical society was one of the best decisions I made freshman year; it gave me the opportunity to learn so much and meet so many amazing people. I’m glad I’m able to help make this year another great one as a member of the executive board. 

Secretary Austin Hill
Senior
Welding Engineering Major
Swanton, OH

Hello! I’m Austin Hill, the secretary for Astro Society. Although I am not an astronomy major, I have had a great interest in astronomy since visiting Kennedy Space Center in 2007 and getting my first telescope in 2008. It’s one of many favorite hobbies of mine, including baseball, automobiles, planes, biking, video games, and fossils, to name a few. I enjoy staying informed about astronomy, stargazing on any clear night, observing when I have access to my binoculars/telescopes, and visiting places dedicated to space & astronomy like Green Bank, Kennedy Space Center, and John Glenn Astronomy Park. I’m currently studying welding engineering and do work-study on campus for OSU Libraries’ Collections Strategy Team. Astro Society is the club I have involved myself with the most here at OSU and I am happy to be part of the executive board to make it interesting, informative, and inclusive to those wanting to participate and join.

 

Space Science Mentorship Program

Sign-up for Space Science Mentorship Program with the Ohio State School for the Blind

OSU is partnering with the Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB) for a virtual Space Science Mentorship Program with blind and visually impaired students (grade 8-12) from Ohio and across the country! This program will have OSU undergraduate and graduate student mentors providing OSSB students with insight on college life and assistance on citizen science projects. The mentorships will have weekly time dedication of approximately 3 hours (weekly meetings, mentee one-on-one, and answering email questions) and will start in September!

If you’re interested in joining the mentorship cohort, fill out this form by August 21st, 2020. If you have any questions, email Anna Voelker at voelker.30@osu.edu.

What to Look for in the Night Sky!

July 16th (Thursday) Meeting at 7pm EST!

We’re excited to announce our July 16th meeting – What to Look for in the Night Sky! Our executive board will cover astronomical terminology, Delta Aquarids/Perseids meteor showers, the Moon, planet observing, binocular observing, and deep sky observing. SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space) will also be presenting info on the Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance! All presentations will be done via Zoom and recorded. It will be a great evening full of great info and discussion!

To join the meeting on Zoom, visit https://osu.zoom.us/j/98856249884.
The meeting password is 123456. We hope to see you there!

On another note…

Be sure to look out for Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE in the northwestern early evening sky this week, both with your naked eye and a pair of binoculars!

Weekly Astronomy Webinars

Weekly Astronomy Webinars:

Tune in every Thursday at 3pm ET for an episode of a new astronomy webinar! Called Making Space for All, this series will feature the work of underrepresented scientists and students in the astrophysics community. Join Anna Voelker (OSU’s Coordinator of Astronomy Outreach) as she conducts these public Q&A sessions and interviews.

The first episode will aired on zoom on April 2nd. It featured Dr. Ami Choi, who discussed dark matter. Use this link to join the webinar via zoom. Here’s the direct url: https://osu.zoom.us/j/770313187

The series is brought to you by OSU’s Department of Astronomy, CCAPP, and SciAccess. Check out the images below for more information.

SciAccess 2020: Info and Sign-Up

SciAccess 2020 will be happening online! Here is some official info:

🌟 ANNOUNCING THE 2020 SCIACCESS CONFERENCE! 🌟

 

The Ohio State Department of Astronomy, in partnership with NASA, CCAPP, and the SciAccess Initiative, is proud to announce that we will be hosting a free, virtual conference on Monday, June 29, 2020! This all-day event will be dedicated to promoting disability inclusion and equity in astronomy and the STEM fields.

 

It is taking place on the one-year anniversary of the inaugural SciAccess Conference, which was sponsored by The Ohio State University in 2019. This year, SciAccess is being hosted in connection with Making Space for All, a weekly webinar series that showcases underrepresented students and researchers in the astrophysics community. You can join live episodes of Making Space for All every Thursday at 3:00 PM ET using this Zoom link: http://go.osu.edu/makingspace. View the schedule of upcoming webinars here: https://astronomy.osu.edu/outreach/making-space 

 

Making Space for All and SciAccess 2020 are supported by The Ohio State University Department of Astronomy and the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics. They are free, open to the public, and feature ASL interpreting and CART captioning. Please feel free to share with your friends and colleagues. Questions? Email us at thesciaccessconference@gmail.com. 

 

TO REGISTER FOR SCIACCESS 2020, complete the following form: https://go.osu.edu/sciaccess2020