Caltech Astro Open Nights
During the semester, the Cahill building at Caltech is host to a series of free lectures on Friday nights open to the public. Astronomers --- students, postdocs, and faculty --- discuss interesting topics in astronomy. At various times, I've helped out our host, Dr. Cameron Hummels, with these lectures. Check it out.
Astronomy Open Houses
Unlike the uninviting stories of Area-51, the local institutions and national labs --- Carnegie and JPL --- host open house events every year. JPL's "open house" is held in the early summer and the entire lab displays all its research for the public to witness! Though free, the tickets are first come first serve, so set the date. The Carnegie open house is held in the fall and hosts a variety of displays for all to enjoy (including amazing ice-cream!) I've helped out at both open houses over the last 2 years. Check out some of the photos and their respective websites!
Sidewalk Astronomy
You ever want to just shout at people on the street to tell them how awesome the universe is? Well, every so often, the astronomers at Caltech, organized by Dr. Cameron Hummels, set out on the streets of Pasadena, with telescopes in tow, to give the public a quick chance to see Saturn, Jupiter, wild images of the moon, and much more -- all while they stroll through on a Friday night. So far, I've helped out at a couple events, and it's a ton of fun. Stay tuned for more info!