Space Geodesy: the study of where and when
Zeidler Dome, TELUS World of Science Edmonton, 11211 142 St NW Edmonton
7:30 PM (MST), Meeting begins, including guest speaker, AstroImaging Corner, and other RASC news.
FREE and open to the public.
This is a hybrid meeting. You may attend in person or remotely using Zoom.
Space Geodesy: the study of where and when
Guest Speaker: Alexander Turner, Alberta Forestry & Parks
Have you ever wondered how star alignment works? Why autoguiders are important for astro-imaging even after alignment? Why, if you have a fixed observatory do you need to regularly realign your telescope? How does GPS work and what does it have to do with star alignment? How do we measure plate tectonics? What is the day and hour? Why was there a leap second in 2016?All of these questions fall under the domain of the obscure but ancient science of geodesy. Living in the shadow of astronomy, the two sciences are deeply linked and do not exist without the other as geodesy is the where, and astronomy is the what.
This talk will explore the measurements and complexities that would be involved to keep a telescope aligned perfectly to the stars.
Alexander Turner is a passionate geodesist and the head of the Geodetic Unit of Alberta. He is Alberta’s representative on the Canadian Geodetic Reference System Committee and a Federal-Provincial working committee of the Canadian Council on Geomatics, which is responsible for planning geodetic reference system improvements in Canada.Outside of work, Turner enjoys exploring the night sky without charts and canoeing with his dog.
** Please note that this meeting may be recorded and posted on youtube. By joining you agree to becoming part of this recording. **