Tues Sept 4 7:30 pm MEETING & Lecture “The Exponentially Increasing Pollutant: Light” by Eric Vandernoot

Join us on Tuesday, September 4th as Eric Vandernoot, Astronomy and Physics Lab Coordinator at Florida Atlantic University, discusses the impacts of light pollution on the environment and human health. Mr. Vandernoot has a Master’s Degree in Physics from Florida Atlantic University. His thesis work was published in The Astrophysical Journal (entitled “Iron-line Emission as a Probe of Bardeen-Petterson Accretion Disks”). He has run the University’s Astronomical Observatory since 2005 and has introduced and teaches the Planetary Mechanics class. In 2007, FAU recognized his outreach efforts and improvements to the facility there by awarding him FAU’s Presidential Leadership Award. For Halloween time, he coordinates the Physics Department main outreach effort via their annual “Pumpkin Drop & Carnival.” The FAU Observatory provides observations to the students taking the University’s astronomy classes, hosts field trips from local schools and provides night observations geared to the general public, including events of special astronomical interest. In his role, he has become concerned about the pervasive impact of light pollution, has been working to educate the public about the problem and help bring about an attitude shift regarding this most fundamental, radiant energy that pervades all that we do.

The meeting is free and open to the public – join us at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, rooms 101 and 102,6301 W. Summit Blvd., in West Palm Beach. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.; refreshments are served beforehand, so come at 7:00!

ALSO AT THE Sept 4 MEETING: Bird of the Month: “Brown Pelican”. Come learn from Clive Pinnock about this bird.

Any questions, contact Valleri Brauer 561-385-9787.