The 19th annual Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) in Suffern, New York, wrapped up Sunday with a bang. All day long, attendees browsed the vendor displays, purchasing some of the latest and greatest products offered by more than 130 equipment manufacturers and dealers.
Three talks highlighted the afternoon session. First up was Attila Danko, who created the Clear Sky Chart. Attila related the trials and tribulations he’s endured this past decade in creating this indispensable tool for backyard observers across the United States and Canada. The Clear Sky Chart graphically displays the forecast for clouds, transparency, and seeing based on data from Environment Canada. Most night-sky viewers I know rely on these charts for planning their observing.
But the excitement level grew with the next speakers: Steve Arnold and Geoff Notkin — the Meteorite Men from the Science Channel’s hit series. Steve flew in from Wisconsin today with a couple of fragments of the splendid fireball that blazed across Midwestern skies this past Wednesday evening. The freshest meteorites in the world drew oohhs, aahhs, and extended applause from the audience. Their talk was nearly as special, combining the wit and charm of their TV series with solid science about meteorites.
NEAF’s final speaker was Alex Filippenko of the University of California, Berkeley, renowned supernova expert and star of the Teaching Company’s Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy course and The Universe series on the History Channel. Alex didn’t disappoint, with a riveting talk on supernovae of all kinds. He even raised the possibility that some supernovae may not be the end of a star’s life, but rather only a big explosion that doesn’t destroy the progenitor star.
My day wrapped up with a special dinner with about 10 other NEAF organizers and attendees. The star dinner guests were Alex Filippenko; Adam Atanas, the 11-year-old winner of Astronomy magazine’s 2010 Youth Essay Contest for his entry on "What I love best about astronomy"; and Caroline Moore, a 15-year-old who a little more than a year ago became the youngest person ever to discover a supernova. Adam managed to temporarily stump Alex with his first question about black holes, time dilation, and Hawking radiation.
It was a special weekend. I managed to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. Not a bad way to spend a weekend in suburban New York.
Update: Check out Bill's Andrews photos from NEAF at our Online Reader Gallery.
Related blogs:
On the Road Day 3: Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF), by Senior Editor Richard Talcott
On the Road Day 2: Northeast Astro-Imaging Conference, by Senior Editor Richard Talcott
On the Road Day 1: Northeast Astro-Imaging Conference, by Senior Editor Richard Talcott
On the Road: NEAIC and NEAF first impressions, by Assistant Editor Bill Andrews