This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
You say you’d love a fun science evening? Great, here s your chance. Scientific American will be co-hosting a tweet-up and reception in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History the evening of Wednesday, January 18. While we expand our minds, we ll enjoy some cocktails and open access to the Beyond Planet Earth exhibit.
Attendance is free for people who follow both @sciam and @amnh on Twitter but space is limited, so you have to apply to attend. Sign up here.
Here’s what you can expect:
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6:00
Doors open. Pick up a free Scientific American issue and meet some fellow science lovers. There’ll be a reception (with open bar) in the Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians, adjacent to Beyond Planet Earth.
During the evening, you’ll have open access to Beyond Planet Earth and enjoy some short talks from Scientific American editors and contributors and American Museum of Natural History staff after I give a quick welcome.
See a life-size model of the Curiosity Rover, due to reach Mars in August 2012. Essentially a roving science lab, it can explore the Red Planet for years, test samples onboard, fire a laser to help probe an object's composition, and includes a weather station. AMNH\\R. Mickens
Carter Emmart, director of astrovisualization, and Brian Abbott, manager of the Hayden Planetarium, will lead a tour to the edge of universe and back in the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater. They will also discuss the process of creating data visualizations for the planetarium at an informal Q&A later in the evening.
Ed Bell, co-creator, with Hugo Award-winning illustrator Ron Miller, of the Journey to the Exoplanets iPad app from Scientific American and Farrar, Straus Giroux, and Scientific American Contributing Art Director, will describe the challenges of depicting objects that human eyes have never seen in his talk, “Visualizing Exoplanets.”
Caleb Scharf, Director of Columbia University s Astrobiology Center and author of Extrasolar Planets and the forthcoming Gravity s Engines from Scientific American and Farrar, Straus Giroux, will reveal the tempestuous relationship between black holes and the building of stars, galaxies and planets, will speak on: Beyond the Beyond: The Incredible Journey to Planets, Stars and Black Holes.
Michael Shara, curator in the Museum s Department of Astrophysics and curator of Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration, will offer an overview of the exhibition as well as some insight into the accuracy of space exploration as portrayed in contemporary and classic film what they got right, and what they got wrong.
9:00
Event ends. Everybody goes home happy! Hope to see you there.