E-Comet Newsletter of the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association |
|
Dear Friends –
Happy 4th of July! It’s summer on Nantucket, which includes all the things that make our island special- time at the beach, swimming, fishing, exploring, and relaxing with friends. This month, sign up for one of our marine programs that teach you about Beach Biology, our ecosystem, and the biodiversity that thrives on our shores and in our waters. Make friends with the animals – whether you visit the Aquarium and connect with the animals in the touch tank or stop in at Hinchman House, our Natural Science Museum, to see our collection of turtles and snakes, it will be memorable and educational.
You can also explore the history of the universe with Dr. Rich Blundell – his Earth Walk on Thursday afternoons at 2pm and presentation on Big History at the Observatory on Thursday Nights at 8:30pm will fascinate you. Connect to the wonder of how short our time on earth is, in relationship to the planet and her wisdom.
Or drop in to collage making with our Artist-in-Residence, Danny O on Wednesday nights from 5-7pm. We’re using our collection of Nat Geo magazines to create a community collage project – a giant map of Nantucket – and you can be a part of it.
Our neighborhood gets larger in the summer with visitors and old friends returning, we welcome you all. We invite you to stop by any one of our facilities, drop in to a program and get curious about the nature of Nantucket. There is always something to learn, as our island is ever changing and adapting, the more we understand the better care we can take of our environment.
Enjoy the magic of the long days and starry nights,
Joanna
|
|
Joanna Roche
Executive Director
|
|
AstroPhotography Classes
Join Nantucket's own, Charity Grace Mofsen and the MMA's Telescope Engineer and Astronomer, Gary Walker, for an exciting four- week dive into the world of AstroPhotography. Classes will start with Cell phones and DSLR's and progress to the RC24 inch Telescope at Loines Observatory.
|
|
Charity Grace Mofsen captures the island of Nantucket in all its glory – In Light and At Night. With a particular affinity for astrophotography, she believes there is always light, if you have eyes to see it. From fine art landscapes to fun portrait sessions and creative product photography, she finds joy sharing her love of Nantucket with the hope that others will also cherish the island’s natural beauty. Recently featured in Framebridge’s "Black Artist Spotlight," her work speaks to [wo]man’s connection to the cosmos. Describing her style as meditative, Charity Grace highlights the beauty of the island’s contrasts – the solitude of the off-season and the joy of summer, the colors of the light and the wisdom of the Night. |
|
Weekly Collage & Sip with Danny O
Comet Club!
Join Danny on a weekly basis as we collaborate on a community collage in the shape and spirit of Nantucket! We will dissect National Geographic Magazines from the MMA's former collection, and turn the pop culture fodder into a collaborative work of art.
Each week, Danny will share new techniques and stories about his life in the world of art and collage. It's an evening of making and sharing stories, in this relaxed environment we accelerate our learning by being part of a collective...the learning comes from doing and sharing. Sitting around a table sharing is both healing and entertaining. Come help us make a magical portrait of Nantucket with the inspiration of Maria Mitchell. Bring a story to share or a question to ask!
|
|
Stargazer Gala - Under the Sea |
|
Our biggest event of the year!
The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s annual fundraising event, The Stargazer Gala, is a not-to-be-missed event hosted at a private home overlooking Nantucket Sound. Party-goers will enjoy breathtaking views, dancing to The Sultans, delicious food by Island Kitchen, games, stargazing with our professional astronomers, and more.
Tickets are nearly sold-out! Purchase tickets below or by call 508-228-9198.
We look forward to seeing you under the stars and on the dance floor!
|
|
Pond Ecology Workshop
Join Izzy Gaw & Natural Science Museum staff as we explore the diversity and ecology of Nantucket’s freshwater habitats at the MMA Research Center! We will use microscopes to identify and explore more than fifteen types of organisms including insect larvae, crustaceans, rotifers, algae, and more! You will learn how to collect water samples, create microscope slides, and use compound microscopes. Feel free to bring a water sample of your own to see what critters live in ponds near you!
This program meets at the MMA Research Center at 2 Vestal St. Recommended for ages 12 and up. At least one adult must sign up with children.
Members: $15
Non-Members $30
|
|
Camp Interns are here
& AWESOME!
A Few Discovery Camp Spots Still Available
Week 3, July 5-8
Habitat Hoppers/ Ages 7-9: 3 Spots
Eco Investigators/ Ages 10-12: 2 Spots
Naturalist Leadership Program/ Ages 13-16: 4 Spots
Register through our website for an action-packed week of exploration, inquiry, and discovery!
|
|
Maria Mitchell Women of Science Symposium |
|
Tickets are live for the second in-person Maria Mitchell Women of Science Symposium (MMWSS) September 22-24, 2022!
We are excited and have a great line up of speakers and panelists including:
Nicole Cabrera Salazar
Tara Spann
Dionne Hoskins-Brown
Amy Bower
Nancy Gray
Malika Jeffries-EL
Sabine von Sengbusch
Chiara Mingarelli
With themes around diversity, equity, and inclusion and retaining women and girls in the STEM fields, as well as mentoring, this will again be a hands-on experience in which we are all problem solving together.
Space is limited and registration closes September 9, 2022 so make sure to sign up. We will again be at the Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley, Mass.
Our fantastic sponsors include:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | Simons Foundation
Tupancy-Harris Foundation | MassTech
American Philosophical Society | Axcelis Technologies
MassSpace Grant Consortium | Stinson LLP
Vassar College | DE Shaw and Co.
Mount Holyoke College | Mass General Brigham
Schwartz Hannum | MassBIO
American Astronomical Society | Agios
And, we have some limited scholarships available for students and teachers.
Come one come all – but space is limited!
|
|
“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.”
-Edith Andrews
|
|
Keep Calm and Bird On
By Ginger Andrews
With the summer solstice behind us, our thoughts turn to shorebirds. Sanderlings, nesting in the Arctic, start to move south as days get shorter in their high-latitude breeding ground. They are the ones that run up and down as waves advance and recede. And our own Beach-nesting birds are a continued interest: Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least and Common Terns.
But with the Highly Contagious Avian Flu (HCAI) in the news, how safe is it to go out looking for shorebirds? The answer is, still quite safe, with common-sense precautions.
|
|
ASTRONOMY NEWS Celestial Stakeout! |
|
Join the professional astronomers and staff of the MMA for a very special, early-morning Open Night at Loines Observatory. On July 29th we will catch the "5 planet alignment" – a relatively rare opportunity to see all five planets visible to the naked eye – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – in line along the ecliptic. They’ll be joined by a beautiful crescent Moon in the early morning sky. As most of the planets will not be visible this summer during the evening hours, this is a great opportunity to catch a glimpse of these great planets through the MMA telescopes – a sight you will not soon forget!
Coffee, treats, and a special MMA blanket are included in the ticket price.
|
|
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 talks about about the first images of the black hole at the Milky Way's center.
|
|
Enjoy the MMA's podcast, "The Nature of Nantucket, "brought to you by 97.7 ACKFM. This program airs on 97.7 every Sunday at 7:20AM. This week we talk to Izzy Gaw about how she came to Nantucket, what's happening this summer, and her plans for creating an extremely fun museum full of animals!
Also, check out our weekly "Star Report" written and presented by MMA Research Fellow, Celia Mulcahey.
You can listen to each podcast via Apple or Spotify via the players below.
|
|
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.
|
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
