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Hidden Hollow
2012
 
Jason Shinn
 Jason Shinn has been an amateur astronomer for more than two decades. An active member of the Astronomy Club of Akron, he has recently joined the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) and is an active participant in the NASA Radio Jove Project - as well as served his time as a planetarium director and presenter for the Hoover Price Planetarium. He frequently informs other radio astronomers when activity is going on, and provides accurate data and information. The Radio JOVE listening project is fascinating, and Jason plans on bringing a dipole antenna to set up during his visit so we may monitor the solar continuum, listen to Jupiter and map the radio frequency of the Milky Way. If you've ever dreamed of being able to "beat" cloudy skies, then you'll find this brand of astronomy particularly interesting. Jason will also be providing us with a wonderful program, as well as audio and visual files of Jupiter emissions.
Jason has been a supporter of the Hidden Hollow Star Party for years and has given his programs on three occassions. They just keep getting more interesting! Be sure to join us for something you'll never forget. His presentations are beyond compare and it will open you up to a whole new world of astronomy - via radio....
Now that's something we can "listen" to!
Due to circumstances beyond his control, Jason won't be joining us for this Hidden Hollow and we will miss him greatly. However, we're very pleased and proud to announce that we'll be replacing the Radio JOVE presentation with an equally interesting topic - "Curious About Curiosity"!
 NASA's most advanced planetary rover is on a precise course for a successful August 5th landing beside a Martian mountain to begin two years of unprecedented scientific detective work. However, getting the Curiosity rover to the surface of Mars wasn't easy. To achieve the precision needed for landing safely inside Gale Crater, the spacecraft had to fly like a wing in the upper atmosphere instead of dropping like a rock. To land the 1-ton rover, an airbag method used on previous Mars rovers will not work. Mission engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., designed a "sky crane" method for the final several seconds of the flight. A backpack with retro-rockets controlling descent speed successfully lowered the rover on three nylon cords just before touchdown. Is there... or was there... a chance for life on Mars?!
If you'd like to learn more about the Curiosity Mission, why not join NASA NightSky Network speaker Chad Ruhl who will give a special presentation on both Friday and Saturday!
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