Events Calendar

Free and Open to the Public

In-person and via Zoom
Ask for the Zoom link from paulwaav@together.net or theresamarie11@GMAIL.COM
VAS Members will be emailed the Zoom link

The in-person will be at the Brownell Library on 2A near 5-Corners in Essex Junction.

If you attend via Zoom please get on-line before 7:30.  If you don't have Zoom installed, the application will automatically download and install when you click the meeting link.  This may take a couple minutes.

PRESENTATION:

Monitoring the Weather on the Sun and in Space:
NOAA's Newest Satellites

By Dimitrios Vassiliadis, NOAA/NESDIS/Space Weather Observations (SWO) Office

Space weather refers to a wide range of ever-changing conditions around the Sun, the Earth, and other planets and celestial objects. Of greatest importance are those phenomena that can threaten the safety of humans, such as astronauts and airline pilots, and the function of space systems, such as satellites and the International Space Station. After a brief introduction with examples, I will discuss some of the latest satellites and instruments the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has deployed to monitor, study, and model solar and space weather phenomena. Key among them are the Compact Coronagraph 1 (CCOR-1) launched on board the GOES-19 satellite in June 2024 and the Space Weather Follow On - Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) launched in September 2025 to continue the services provided by legacy NASA and NOAA missions. I will discuss some of the key steps in planning for, designing, building, and operating these spacecraft missions.

Images and videos:

CCOR-1 images of the outer corona
●    First public image, October 22, 2024: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/noaa-shares-imagery-worlds-first-operational-space-based-coronagraph
●    Real-time imagery: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/coronagraph
●    Archive: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/cloud-access/space-weather-portal/overview?sat=GOES-19&inst=CCOR-1

The SWFO-L1 mission:
●    NASA Scientific Visualization Studio imagery: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20392/
●    First public data from the STIS instrument, November 26, 2025: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/noaa-shares-first-swfo-l1-space-weather-data-stis

Following the main presentation, our recurring monthly presentations will include Constellation of the Month  by Terri Zittritsch.

Free and Open to the Public

In-person and via Zoom
Ask for the Zoom link from paulwaav@together.net or theresamarie11@GMAIL.COM
VAS Members will be emailed the Zoom link

The in-person will be at the Brownell Library on 2A near 5-Corners in Essex Junction.

If you attend via Zoom please get on-line before 7:30.  If you don't have Zoom installed, the application will automatically download and install when you click the meeting link.  This may take a couple minutes.

PRESENTATION:

Practical And Ethical Challenges to Consider in the Three Major NASA Accidents: Apollo 1, and Space Shuttles Challenger, and Columbia

By Rev. William S. Wick

Description coming soon.

Following the main presentation, our recurring monthly presentations will include Constellation of the Month  by Terri Zittritsch.