Astrophotography: Auroras and Comets

05/09/2025 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM MT

Admission

  • $6.00  -  Child
  • $8.00  -  Adult

Location

Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium
2600 Canyon Rd
Los Alamos, NM 87544

Description

Last October, there were two amazing sights in the night sky. One was a geomagnetic storm was strong enough to produce aurora visible here in Los Alamos! Learn about the science that creates the beautiful aurora in the skies, then see images of the event from local photographers.

There was also a bright comet visible around the same time. We will track the orbit of the comet in the planetarium and then look at images from the event.
 

About the Presenter:

Elizabeth Watts is a staff member at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC), where she shares her lifelong love of nature and science education. She has been camping and hiking since childhood, spending summers exploring the country with her family. Her first visit to New Mexico 35 years ago—earning her Bandelier Junior Ranger Badge and enjoying a tortilla burger in Taos—sparked a deep connection to the region.

Elizabeth has been involved in informal science education since her teenage years, volunteering at a hands-on science museum and continuing that work through college and graduate school. She earned a B.S. in Physics from Birmingham-Southern College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin. Moving to Los Alamos in 1999, she has always loved the easy access to trails and outdoor adventures. After years of bringing her own children to PEEC programs, she joined the staff in August 2018 to help inspire the next generation to explore and appreciate the incredible landscapes of northern New Mexico.

 

Admission: $8/Adult, $6 Child. Events in the planetarium are not recommended for children under age 4.  

Photo: Nothern Lights Courtesy of Pixabay Content License

Neon CRM by Neon One
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