RFO Speaker Series: Science and Technology Innovation at Lick Observatory with Elinor Gates, Ph.D.

  • Thu, Nov 17, 2022 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

  • Pacific Standard Time

Ticket Price Free This event is now over
Description

Join RFO and Elinor Gates, Ph.D., for an informative conversation on "Science and Technology Innovation at Lick Observatory."

Lick Observatory has a long history of being at the forefront of science and technology.  Despite the COVID pandemic and the SCU Lightning Complex Fire we continued operations and introduced new telescopes and instruments, such as PANOSETI and PEAS.  I’ll give an overview of our research telescopes, how we persevered through the trials of 2020, and the exciting new research in progress, such as the search for extrasolar planets and extraterrestrial life.

 

Dr. Elinor Gates is a staff astronomer at Lick Observatory specializing in laser guide star adaptive optics and near infrared camera instrumentation and observations.  She did her undergraduate studies, majoring in Mathematics and Astrophysics, at Mount Holyoke College.  She received her Ph.D. in Physics/Astronomy from the University of New Mexico in 1998.  Before moving to Lick Observatory, she worked at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, IAU Minor Planet Center, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the Air Force Phillips Laboratory.  Dr. Gates’ current research interests are studying quasars and their host galaxies, discovering dust obscured quasars, and measuring the masses of quasar and AGN central black holes.  Asteroid (2650) Elinor is named in Dr. Gates’ honor.

 

 

Date & Time

Thu, Nov 17, 2022 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Robert Ferguson Observatory

The Valley of the Moon Observatory Association (VMOA) is volunteer amateur and professional astronomers plus a small supporting staff organized as a nonprofit association to provide educational programs about science and astronomy for students, the public, and in support of educators.

The VMOA is responsible for the construction, maintenance and utilization of the Robert Ferguson Observatory and functions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the auspices of the California State Parks System, and in cooperation with our local state parks.