Maria Mitchell Association Monthly e-Comet Newsletter

DECEMBER 2023

Dear Friends –

We are committed to fostering a deep connection between education and the sky, land, and sea through the noble act of giving. We are grateful to be surrounded by the wonder of the natural world, especially on Nantucket. It can be easy to overlook the profound impact that the natural world has on our lives, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the landscapes that inspire us – are all gifts from Mother Nature. 

As our island faces unprecedented challenges, it becomes crucial for us to reciprocate this generosity and protect the delicate balance that sustains life. We are dedicated to channeling the spirit of giving towards the preservation and enhancement of our environment, our education programs, and our legacy of preservation. We strive to raise awareness, inspire action, and nurture our Nantucket community of members, campers, and explorers committed to honoring the magic of our island

The poet, James Russell Lowell, said, “It’s not what we give, but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare.” You, our supporters, both share and give your gifts to us – your time, talents and treasures, and for that we are deeply grateful. Each and every donor, volunteer, learner, and camper both give and share something with us. That beautiful exchange informs and shapes our work and the future of the MMA. Thank you.

 With deep appreciation,

Joanna Roche

Executive Director

jroche@mariamitchell.org

Help Us Change the World

Your generosity helps make our work and impact on our community and our world possible, please consider showing your support this holiday season in one of the following ways:

Join, Renew, or Gift a Membership

Our members receive unlimited complimentary admission to our properties and Stargazing Open Nights, invitations to workshops and private events, 20% off all MMA offerings and at our Gift Shops, and much more! Become a member and learn more here.

Support our Year-End Campaign

Your generosity has an immediate impact on our ability to make science accessible to all, to foster curiosity for the natural world, and to focus our programming on hands-on learning. Make a contribution here.

Shop our Online Store

Our selection of MMA apparel and one-of-a-kind gifts are perfect for the holiday season – to gift or to keep! Shop online here.

The MMA's Hinchman House Natural Science Museum Open On Weekends!

While we button up our properties for the winter, we want to remind you that our Natural Science Museum at 7 Milk Street is open on weekends through Saturday, December 16!

Open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am - 4pm, and Sunday December 3 and 10 from 10am - 2pm

Don't forget to check our calendar for weekly programming.

The 2024 Maria Mitchell Association Internship Applications Are Live!

Summer 2024 internship opportunities are now posted on our website! Students studying marine biology, the natural sciences, astronomy, education, history/art history/historic preservation, non-profit development, and communications and marketing are invited to apply. If you have a qualified undergraduate or graduate student in mind who'd enjoy interning on picturesque Nantucket Island next summer, help us spread the word by sharing the link below!

Come join our amazing team!

Aquarium Update



The MMA bid an emotional farewell to our Aquarium location at 28 Washington Street and will be moving to a temporary location for the 2024 season.

On October 7, 2023, the MMA announced preliminary plans to move and expand its popular Aquarium. The new expansion will be located at 33 Washington Street and will incorporate four of the existing buildings on the site. The reimagined space will feature hands-on and experiential learning opportunities, an expanded, state-of-the-art aquarium and marine biology lab, rotating exhibits highlighting the history of Maria Mitchell and her role in history and science, community gathering spaces, and improved residential housing for MMA staff. The MMA will open a temporary aquarium during the construction phase of the new MMA Aquarium and Discovery Center.

Due to its location on Washington Street, one of the most frequently flooded areas on the island, the MMA is uniquely positioned to adopt a leadership role in coastal resiliency. The MMA has been working with resiliency experts, engineers, designers, and others to calculate a plan that would manage flooding and drainage in the area based on the 100-year storm. “We are committed to our role in scientific education, lifelong learning, and the preservation of Maria Mitchell’s legacy,” says Joanna Roche, Executive Director. The MMA Discovery Center and Aquarium will be the most visible, public-facing center for discovery and science focused on STEM education on Nantucket.

Image from video by SEAN GOEBEL/W. M. KECK OBSERVATORY

The MMA Astronomers to Travel to Largest Ground-based Optical Telescopes in the World for Research

In mid-December, the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s astronomy staff will be travelling to the site of the largest ground-based optical telescope telescopes in the world, the Keck Observatory, located on the Big Island of Hawai’i. The MMA’s National Science Foundation (NSF) astronomy post-baccalaureate research fellows, Emmy Wisz and August Muller, will be travelling to the Big Island of Hawai’i to use the famous Keck telescopes to obtain data for their research projects unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

The Keck Observatory is located at nearly an elevation of 14,000 feet, near the summit of Mauna Kea, but is accessed remotely by astronomers around the world who operate the telescopes’ scientific instruments and collect astronomical data. The 10-meter telescopes are essential tools for many research projects, so groups must participate in a competitive process of proposal submission to secure observing time. Wisz and Muller are joining in on observations as part of the Fast and Fortunate for FRB Follow-up (F4) Collaboration and as part of the MANGOES (Multi-wavelength Analysis of Neutral Gas Observed in Emission and Spectroscopy) Collaboration, both international collaborations that were co-founded by the MMA’s Director of Astronomy, Dr. Regina Jorgenson, and funded by grants from the NSF.

Read more here.

REU Interns to Present at the American Astronomical Society

in 2024

In January, the REU interns and the MMA Astronomy team head to New Orleans, Louisiana for the 243rd annual American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting to present their summer research findings. Each summer, six college students participate in the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates Astronomy internship, funded by the National Science Foundation. The interns conduct their own individual research projects, as well as lead thrice-weekly Open Nights at Loines Observatory. According to Dr. Jorgenson, the MMA’s Director of Astronomy, "The AAS meeting is both a highlight and the grand conclusion of the summer research experience for each student. The interns work hard all summer and this is their chance to share their research with professional astronomers from around the world. This summer’s interns are fantastic ambassadors for the Maria Mitchell Association and science on Nantucket Island.”

MMA NSF Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellows:

Emmy Wisz and August Muller

Join us Monday, December 4 at 4:30pm

In person at the MMA's Research Center, 2 Vestal St. or on Zoom

Join us for a pop-up science talk concerning Emmy Wisz and August Muller's research. People may know them from Open Nights at Loines Observatory and their weekly Star Reports.

"In a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Spectral Analyses of Distant Galaxies"

How do we learn about galaxies a billion light years away? How do we learn about the history of our own home galaxy, the Milky Way? By using spectral analysis, as well as other techniques, we can gain insight into the chemical composition of faraway galaxies and their environments, creating a roadmap to understand how galaxies form and evolve over time. Emission from galaxies reveals properties of the local galactic environment, such as the star formation rate and age. Absorption features provide a peek into regions of the galactic environment that are rich in gas and home to the elements necessary for star formation.

Focused on a type of galaxy called a damped Lyman-alpha system, or DLA for short, Emmy Wisz will explain how we use bright background sources as lighthouses to learn about galaxies that are too distant to be seen directly. By investigating the home galaxies of the still-mysterious fast radio bursts, August Muller will discuss how these strange bursts may come to be and how we are using them to probe the distant Universe.

Read more here.

This presentation is free and held in person at 2 Vestal Street or via Zoom.

Pre-registration is required for Zoom.

Nancy Ryan Gray, Ph.D.

Join Us Wednesday, December 13

at 7pm EST on Zoom

As we welcome Nancy Ryan Gray as a featured presenter for the December Science Speaker Series.

"The Keys to Success. . . Are Somewhere at the Bottom of My Purse"

The title of this presentation would suggest that she is clearly not an expert on the keys to success. Nevertheless, the presentation highlights Nancy Ryan Gray's circuitous career path, a few of the “lessons” she has learned over the past thirty years, and the “things she knows now” but “wish she'd known then.” Ryan Gray is currently the President and CEO of Gordon Research Conferences.

Read more here.

This presentation is free and held via Zoom.

Pre-registration is required.

Here is a rarity: a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Breeding in the American southwest, these adventurous flycatchers sometimes spread out well beyond their usual range. We have not seen one on Nantucket since 2013.

Photos by Louis Dentiste

Nantucket Bird Walk

Stroll Weekend

MMA Research Center Parking Lot

2 Vestal St.

7:45am - 10am | Saturday, Dec. 2

Explore Nantucket’s birdy landscapes and hidden nooks with local bird guide and Inquirer and Mirror columnist,

Ginger Andrews.



With so many varied habitats so close together, the Island is a great place to look and listen for birds. Our location out at sea makes for a fascinating mix of migratory species and year-round residents. Dry humor – always useful in a foggy environment – natural and human history, unexpected rarities, and other stories fill out the picture.

Children 8 and up are welcome with an adult guardian. Loaner binoculars available. Wear sensible shoes and dress for the weather. You never know what may turn up. This program will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather and a ticket exchange issued for an alternative date.

Pre-registration is recommended.

Christmas Stroll Edition

Nature Story Hour

Hinchman House Natural Science Museum, 7 Milk Street

1pm - 2pm | Saturday, December 2

Enjoy this Christmas Stroll Edition of Nature Story Hour. This program is designed for the young explorer in your family! During this session, an MMA educator will read The Lobsters' Night Before Christmas by Christina Laurie and introduce you to one of the MMA's animal friends. We will finish up with an activity related to the story.

This program is designed to be interesting for children ages 3 and older. At least one adult must sign up with children.

Pre-registration is recommended.

Owl Prowl

MMA Research Center, 2 Vestal St.

4pm - 5:30pm | Thursday, December 7

Night-time has always had a mysterious appeal, which brings out a whole new cast of avian and other creatures. It requires patience, and a shift of consciousness from sight to hearing. Join the MMA's Field Ornithologist, Ginger Andrews, as we listen for calls of a variety of nocturnal animals and birds. We will watch for owls as they begin their nightly activity. While an owl sighting is not guaranteed, you will certainly be able to observe several fascinating nocturnal animal species.

This program is designed to be interesting for adults and children ages 8 and older. At least one adult must sign up with children. This program will be cancelled in the event of rain and refunds issued. 

Pre-registration is required.

OPEN NIGHTS:

"Look Up!" at

Loines Observatory

59 Milk Street Ext.

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Thursday, Dec. 7

Join our astronomers for our last "Look Up!" of the season and for an impressive tour of Nantucket’s night sky. Get a chance to view the Moon, planets, stars, nebulae, and even distant galaxies through the MMA’s telescopes! Learn more about the constellations, phases of the moon, the planets, and why eclipses happen.

This stargazing program is designed to be engaging and interactive for all ages but with a focus on young adults and students of K-12 grades. This community-centered program provides an opportunity for students, educators, and families of Nantucket to visit the Loines Observatory and learn more about the night sky.

This program is complimentary courtesy of the Weezie Foundation and other generous sponsors. In the event of inclement weather, this program will not be held. For weather updates, check our website for alerts.

Pre-registration is recommended.

“Rockin’ out” Nantucket

with Dr. Rich Blundell

7pm - 8:30pm | Friday, December 15

MMA Research Center, 2 Vestal Street

10am - 11:30am | Saturday, December 16

Jetties Beach, 4 Bathing Beach Road

A two part exploration series of the geologic story and glacial charisma of the Grey Lady with Dr. Rich Blundell

Read more here.

This program is designed to be interesting for inquisitive persons.

Pre-registration is required.

"If you don't look, you don't see. You have to go and look."

-Edith Andrews

Bird On!

By Ginger Andrews

In December, as winter approaches, we naturally turn to thoughts of feeding the yard birds and watching them comfortably from indoors. It is always interesting to watch their interactions, but another reason to observe closely is that we never know what oddity may turn up, like this White-winged Dove. A casual look might dismiss it as just another Mourning Dove, or one with a strange plumage aberration. But this bird is really an explorer from the southwest.

And the beginning of winter—if we are going to get a winter—or tail end of fall, is when unusual birds are most likely to turn up. These are often young birds dispersing after the breeding season. They may eventually go south, but in some cases not before they have flown east, north, or circled back toward the west. If you study e-bird sightings, it is clear that many birds are not as hard-wired or pre-programmed as we used to think. So it’s worth taking the time for a second look.

It is also good to spend some time studying a paper bird guide. These are usually laid out in such a way that it’s easy to compare similar-looking species. Learn the differences between House Finch and Purple Finch, for example. Or drool over rarities. In a way, this is comparable to wishful seed catalogue perusal, but without the expenditure of money and labor.

Nantucket has hosted some notable rarities for the east coast: Varied Thrush, Western Tanager, Painted Bunting, even a couple of sightings of Magnificent Frigatebird. And who knows, that weird grey "robin" could turn out to be a Townsend’s Solitaire. If something looks odd, get a photo. Zooming in can often show the crucial detail. And if you have a rarity at the feeder, you’ll need the documentation, or no one will believe it. Good birding!

NIGHT SKY DECEMBER ALMANAC

by Nick Graber

MMA Astronomy Program Assistant

Our view of the night sky is constantly changing as the Earth makes its way around the Sun. Each month gives us a chance to observe some new things, so check out our highlights below for December 2023!

Mid-month will give us a beautiful show of meteors for those willing to stay up late in the cold. The Geminid meteor shower will peak around December 14, conveniently coinciding with a crescent Moon that will be dim enough to let the “shooting stars” shine. These meteors, which are bits of ice left behind by an asteroid that are now burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, will be most plentiful in the first few hours past midnight. Compared to other meteor showers, the Geminids are known for their bold and bright meteors, but they’re quick ones, so keep your eyes peeled! Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.

Later in the month, we will have the Winter Solstice on the 21, the shortest day of the year (which, of course, means the longest night). This will be great for stargazing, if not ideal for going about your day in the light. This particular Thursday, the Sun will rise just after 7am and set at 4:15pm, for a total of about nine hours of daylight. This Solstice marks the first day of winter, but once it passes the days will begin to get a little longer again.

As the Earth makes its way around the sun, different constellations will be visible in the night sky. December is the best time to view the constellations Perseus, Triangulum, and Aries. All three are very close together and should be directly overhead in the evening. Perseus can be found most easily by locating Capella (the brightest star overhead) and Cassiopeia (the distinctive W-shaped constellation) and looking for the brightest stars between the two. The brightest star, Mirfak, is at the hero Perseus’s belt line, while he reaches a sword up towards Cassiopeia and holds the gorgon Medusa’s head out away from Capella.

The Triangulum constellation requires no such imagination in order to see its pattern. Instead of representing a Greek hero, this constellation is merely what it says on the tin: a triangle! Once you’ve spotted Perseus, follow his hand outstretched away from Capella and look for a small, narrow triangle of stars. Could any three stars be a triangle? Well, yes. But only these three stars are the Triangulum constellation.

Finally, the zodiacal constellation Aries the ram is even simpler, appearing as a line with a slight curve at one end. This will be on the other side of Triangulum from Perseus and will center around the bright star Hamal.

Jupiter remains the most impressive planet this winter, bright and high in the sky until it sets around 3am. Saturn will be starting to leave our evening skies this month, setting earlier and earlier, but Venus remains the brightest “morning star” in the eastern sky.

Keep an eye out for our biweekly emails, which include timetables of rise and set times for our moon and planets!

NSF-REU Internships in Astronomy Now Open!

Six internship positions with the MMA are now available for qualified undergraduate astronomy and physics students through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, which is supported by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

NSF-REU students at the MMA work on individualized research projects under the guidance of experienced astronomers. Click the link below for more information on these positions. 

Looking Skyward:

In this edition of "Looking Skyward," WCAI's John Basile talks with Dr. Regina Jorgenson of the Maria Mitchell Association Observatory about the most recent and upcoming solar eclipse. The first occurred last month (October). The second, and more dramatic, eclipse is not until April 2024.

Listen here!

Maria Mitchell's Attic

Learn more about Maria Mitchell and the MMA with "Maria Mitchell's Attic," a blog written on a weekly basis by MMA Deputy Director and Curator, Jascin Leonardo Finger.



Read here!

With holidays quickly approaching, our favorite MMA resident lobster, Clementine, has released her "Clementine's Favorite Holiday Gifts" list to help you find great gift options for all the lovely creatures in your life!

Here are a few delightful suggestions:

Sandpaper - "Beauty never sleeps, so let your friends show their carapace some love with an all natural sheet of sandpaper. I exfoliate with sand every morning as part of my beauty routine, and I don't know what I'd do without it."

Cocktail Shrimp - "Shrimp are the candy of the sea. Their delicate, sweet flavor excites any hungry critter and is light on the palette. Spoil your friends and family with this indulgent treat and I promise their smiles will make your investment worthwhile."

Pearls - "They say a pearl is a crustacean's best friend. Pearls are the perfect versatile accessory for any style. They come in all shapes and colors, they can be mounted onto a ring or necklace and are built tough. Your gift recipient will be thanking you for decades because these 'forever stones' will last a lifetime!"

European Green Crab - "A green crab will make the perfect holiday gift for a special lobster in your life! Green crabs can survive on leftovers and will even clean up waste around the house! Green crabs are invasive around here so feel free to collect your gift from the wild! Note: Green crabs are edible if your gift recipient doesn't have time to have a pet!"

Thank you, Clementine!

Research Center:

11am - 1pm, Saturdays through Dec.16

The Hinchman House Natural Science Museum:

10am - 4pm, Friday - Saturday through Dec.16

10am - 2pm, Sunday, Dec. 3 and 10

Loines Observatory:

6:30pm - 7:30pm, Thursdays through Dec. 7

The MMA Aquarium:

Closed for the season

The Historic Mitchell House:

Closed for the season

The MMA Administrative Offices are Closed

December 23, 2023 - January 2, 2024

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.

Support the Maria Mitchell Association: