StarFest - BMAC Annual Fall Star-Party
The Bays Mountain Astronomy Club hosts this annual event for amateur astronomers in the southeast region of the United States. There are always lots of interesting presentations and displays, interaction with other amateur astronomers and, of course, nighttime observing at the Bays Mountain Observatory grounds.
October 9 & 10, 2010
Registration is now open!
Full Details & Registration Form >>
Pre-registration is required.
Update - New Discounts Available!
As an incentive for excellent short talks and to encourage young people to attend StarFest, the following discounts are available for those who qualify.
Child discount: $10 off.
A discount for those age 21 and under. Please provide age on form.
Speaker discount: $10 off
To qualify, please provide a title and abstract for the talk or workshop. Topic must be astonomy related and, due to limited time, approved by the StarFest Chairman.
If you would like to be added to our mailing list for StarFest, please send an email or call us at (423)229-9447 and ask to speak with one of the planetarium staff.
Event Highlights:
- Night Sky and Solar Observing sessions.
- Interesting talks and the Art/ Photo & ATM displays by fellow astronomy enthusiasts.
- Swap Shop - Buy, Sell, Trade! Come and see what others have to offer or setup your own swap area.
- Lots of great meals provided with registration.
- Sunday morning breakfast followed by a final presentation and door prizes.
Featured Guest Speaker
StarFest 2010
Michael Smith
Physics Division,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory*
Presentation Topic
Exploding Stars and Atom Smashers
The night sky appears calm and peaceful -- but is actually peppered with energetic explosions that rip apart the stars. What causes some stars to explode, while others just fizzle out and fade away? How are stellar blasts related to the origin of the elements ? Find out how we use atom smashers here on earth to unlock these mysteries of exploding stars. Some of the bizarre effects discussed include cosmic cannibalism, thermonuclear traffic jams, and stellar alchemy.
Bio
Dr. Michael Smith is a Distinguished Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he leads the Experimental Astrophysics Group and is Co-Director of the Astrophysics Program. Prior to coming to ORNL, he received an undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Chicago, a Ph.D. from Yale University, and worked for two years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology.
At ORNL, he leads an effort using beams of radioactive subatomic nuclei to recreate in the laboratory, one at a time, the thermonuclear fusion reactions that cause stars to explode. These results are then used in novel supercomputer simulations of exploding stars. He also carries out research into the beginning of our Universe in a hot Big Bang.
He has won the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest award given to young researchers in the United States, as well as numerous laboratory awards including Scientific Paper of the Year, Science Communicator of the Year, and Educational Champion. He has pioneered a series of online software systems that enable scientists from around the world to share their research results, and enjoys mentoring students of all levels.
* Research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Physics, U.S. Department of Energy
Door Prizes generously donated by:
If you have questions or are having difficulties, e-mail us
or call at 423/229-9447 and ask for Adam Thanz or Jason Dorfman.