E-Comet Newsletter of the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association |
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Dear Friends,
We are in the thick of winter aren’t we? The rain, snow, wind, and cold are not strangers to the grey lady. Neither is the winter sky – the light at this time of year can be magical and the sunsets and beaches as spectacular as August (check out my view from Smith’s Point last week). It’s the perfect time for an adventure – I’ve been enjoying the winding trails, many unique birds, and several sightings of the elusive snowy owl. Join us for a Snowy Owl Quest, a Beach Biology Walk or view the starry skies during our Look Up program nights. If you are looking for a book to cozy up to, try an old favorite “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry.
Enjoy these quieter months and revel in the beauty of nature.
My best,
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Joanna Roche
Executive Director
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Discovery Camp Registration |
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While some sessions are full, there are still plenty of opportunities available for your camper(s) to participate in our award-winning Discovery Camp! Our team is eagerly planning another fun summer full of exploration and discovery. View our offerings here and contact Education Coordinator Camden Palm with any questions. We do recommend booking as soon as possible.
We look forward to seeing your family this summer!
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Enjoy the MMA's new podcast, The Nature of Nantucket, brought to you by 97.7 ACKFM. The program airs on 97.7 every Sunday at 7:20am. You can also listen to each podcast via Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Click the image below to listen to our first few podcasts featuring MMA Executive Director, Joanna Roche, and interviews with MMA staff members including Jascin Leonardo Finger, Ginger Andrews, and Jack Dubinsky.
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Winter Science Speaker Series |
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We are delighted to bring back our popular Winter Science Speaker Series, featuring intern alumni who join us to discuss their fascinating research and the projects they have been involved with since their time at the MMA. Topics will include astronomy, natural history collections, marine science research, and more! The speaker series is scheduled for alternating Wednesdays between February 9th–April 20th, from 7–8PM EST via Zoom, and is made possible with thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Bank of America and Supporting Sponsors: Thirty Meter Telescope, Cisco Brewers, and the White Elephant.
First up on Wednesday, February 9th is Anne Blackwell, a former MMA National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) Astronomy Intern from 2018. Her talk, “Mystery of the Missing Metals –Finding the Origin of Metals in Galaxy Clusters” will focus on discussing theories regarding metals found in “hot halos” within galaxy clusters.
Galaxy clusters are the largest structures in the Universe ̶ collections of hundreds to thousands of galaxies all bound together by gravity. Between the galaxies there is hot gas (~70,000,000 degrees F) containing atoms, known as the hot halo. Information about the history and the evolution of these clusters is held within the hot halo. Observing this phenomena, we see a high abundance of metals, such as iron. We don't know where these metals came from. The stars within the galaxies in the cluster produce metals, but based on our understanding of stellar evolution, they would not produce the extremely high amount of metals seen in the hot halo. Here is where Blackwell tries to answer the question, “Where did the metals come from if not the stars within the galaxy cluster?”
Blackwell is a third year graduate student in the Astronomy & Astrophysics department at the University of Michigan. She works with Dr. Joel Bregman using X-rays to study galaxy groups and clusters; specifically, their metal content. Recently, she developed an activity for children to learn about light pollution with the Michigan Dark Skies group which is being adopted by public libraries all over Michigan. Read more about Blackwell here, and register for her talk via the link below.
Future Winter Science Speaker Series presenters include: Alexandra Mannings, NSF-REU Astronomy Intern, 2018 (February 23rd); Mark Losavio, MMA Aquarium Intern, 2014 (March 9th); Emmy Gagne, MMA Natural Science Intern, 2018 (March 23rd); Julia Blyth, MMA Natural Science Intern, 2010 and 2011 and current MMA Natural Science Collections Manager (April 6th); and Meg Lysaght Thacher, NSF-REU Astronomy Intern, 1986 (April 20th). View complete details on our website.
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February Look Up Program - Happening This Week! |
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The Maria Mitchell Association's new Look Up Program continues this month! The Look Up Program provides the opportunity for every student and teacher in the Nantucket school system, public and private, to visit Loines Observatory with their families and learn from our professional astronomers. We are thrilled to offer this program completely free of charge!
This week, there will be a Look Up Program tomorrow, Wednesday, February 2nd and on Friday, February 4th from 6–7PM. No registration is required to attend this program. All participants receive a free star chart and special edition Look Up Program t-shirt designed by Malcolm Brooks. This outdoor program is weather dependent; please visit our website for updates regarding possible Look Up Program cancellations due to rain or snow.
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Our Natural Science Museum is open on Saturdays from 10–1PM. Love snakes, turtles, and toads? February is herpetology month. Join us for themed trivia, books, and as always, to say hello to our animals!
Admission is $5 per person and FREE for Members! Included with admission is the 10–11AM Animal Feeding program with museum staff. No registration is required.
Next door, the MMA's Research Center is also hosting Open Hours on Saturdays from 10:30AM–12PM, where you can learn about our collections from MMA Field Ornithologist, Ginger Andrews.
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Birding For Beginners, Snowy Owl Quests, and Beach Biology Field Trips continue throughout the month of February.
Birding for Beginners - Saturdays from 7:45AM-10AM
$5 Members | $10 Non-Members
Led by MMA Field Ornithologist, Ginger Andrews, Birding for Beginners is an introduction to finding and identifying birds. Learn about bird families, habitats, common local birds, how to use field guides, tips for seeing birds, and how to adjust your binoculars for best vision. Participants will go out and see what birds can be found around the town area. Binoculars are available for loan while supplies last.
Registration is suggested as the program is limited to 10 guests.
Interested in a private bird walk with Ginger Andrews? Call us at 508-228-9198 or email Jack Dubinsky for more information.
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Snowy Owl Quest - Saturdays (February 5th and 19th) from 2-4:00PM
$10 Members | $15 Non-Members
Join the MMA’s Field Ornithologist, Ginger Andrews, on an exciting afternoon birding experience – the Snowy Owl Quest! We will visit sites in search of a snowy owl. While a snowy owl sighting is not guaranteed, you will learn about their behaviors and ecology, as well as get to see other species from the Nantucket winter bird community.
This program meets at the MMA Research Center at 2 Vestal Street. Pre-registration and transportation are required. Binoculars are available for loan while supplies last. Limited to 10 participants. Please dress for the weather. The Snowy Owl Quest is meant for adults, but children 8 and up are welcome to register with an adult guardian.
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Beach Biology Field Trips - Saturdays from 2-3:30PM
$10 Members | $25 Non-Members
Join our Aquarium staff to learn about the fascinating biology, ecology, and geology that make Nantucket's beaches so unique. We will discover shells and bones of over 15 species of marine animals and are likely to observe live mole crabs, sand fleas, shore birds, beach insects, and seals!
This program meets at the Madaket Beach Parking Lot at 2:00PM. Participants must have their own transportation. At least one adult must sign up and be present with children.
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February Vacation Week Camp Collaboration |
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We are delighted to partner with our friends at the Nantucket Historical Association to bring you a new vacation week offering this winter!
Break Out! Adventures in Land, Sea, Sky, and Time
February 28 - March 4
Ages 7-11
Registration now open!
The MMA and NHA are teaming up this winter break for an action-packed week of science and history. Join us for explorations at the MMA Natural Science Museum, Whaling Museum, historic sites, and other outdoor destinations. Discover, experiment, craft, and create connections between the past, the planet, and the people in it.
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“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.”
-Edith Andrews
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Keep Calm and Bird On
By Ginger Andrews
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February seesaws between winter and spring. Red-tailed Hawks are courting, Snowy Owls are still around and Red-winged Blackbirds never left. Snow Goose? As a Yard Bird? You never know who may just drop in.
But it’s also a good time to reflect on our relationship to birds and to nature in general.
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Winter Wellness Collaboration
The MMA is thrilled to participate in the Nantucket Land Council's new program –Winter Wellness Walks. Other partners include the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Nantucket Land Bank, and the Linda Loring Nature Foundation. These monthly walks, hosted Sundays at 1pm, will last approximately 45 - 60 minutes and will be led by staff from the partner organizations. Advance registration required. View the full schedule here. Let's get outdoors and enjoy Nantucket's natural environment together.
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The MMA is incredibly grateful for our partners and collaborators who support our efforts to make science education opportunities available to learners of all ages.
We want to extend a special thank you to our friends at Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) for supporting our science education initiatives. We are thrilled to have TMT's sponsorship support of this year's Winter Science Speaker Series. Thank you, TMT, for making this program possible!
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Did you miss our pop-up Science Speaker Series celebrating the launch of the JWST? You can watch the recording on our YouTube channel!
Watch the lecture, "Unveiling the Mysteries of the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope" with Dr. Stephanie LaMassa, using the link below.
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Listen to the latest episode of "Looking Skyward," a podcast with MMA Director of Astronomy, Dr. Regina Jorgenson, on WCAI. In this episode, Dr. Jorgenson discusses the latest developments with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the telescope's role in scientific research
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Learn more about Maria Mitchell and the MMA with "Maria Mitchell's Attic," a blog written on a weekly basis by the MMA's Deputy Director and Curator, Jascin Leonardo Finger.
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The Maria Mitchell Association creates opportunities for all to develop a life-long passion for science through education, research, and first-hand exploration of the sky, land, and sea of Nantucket Island. |
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Support the Maria Mitchell Association: |
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