The Hailey Public Library will host a special, off-site dark sky observation night with Catherine Slaughter, an astronomer working this summer in conjunction with Boise State University as the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve’s inaugural Astronomer in Residence.
Slaughter has a Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy and Physics from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where she studied stellar evolution and globular clusters, which are stable, gravitationally bound clusters of stars numbering in the tens of thousands to millions of stars. She is completing a Master of Science in Astronomy Research from Leiden University, in the Netherlands, with a focus on the impact of particular stars in the Orion Nebula.
“Wood River Valley residents are privileged to live in a place of pitch-black night skies,” said Kristin Fletcher, HPL’s programs and engagement manager. “We’re delighted to host Catherine Slaughter, the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve’s inaugural Astronomer in Residence, for our first ever night sky observing opportunity. Catherine loves to teach astronomy in ways that are accessible and grounded in humanity.”
The event starts at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 30. RSVP to kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org for details. Telescopes will be available. For more information, contact the library at (208) 788-2036 or visit www.haileypubliclibrary.org.