As part of the Totality in Tupper schedule of events, The Wild Center is hosting a panel discussion put on by the Adirondack Sky Center and Observatory. This discussion will include visiting astronomy experts on matters related to the 2024 Solar Eclipse and much more.
This panel discussion is an exciting opportunity to delve into the scientific, cultural, and educational aspects of this celestial event. The panel aims to provide a further understanding of the eclipse phenomenon and discuss topics from the perspective of their own field of study. Audience members will have the chance to engage with esteemed experts, ask questions, and deepen their knowledge of this awe-inspiring astronomical event.
Doors open at 6:30pm, event begins at 7pm.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration required. If you can't make it in person, watch a live-stream from your home!
The Panel
Mr. Gibb Brown, Broadcast Meteorologist
Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory Board Member
Gib has been a member of the ASC for about 15 years. He has taught both High School and College level courses for over 45 years. In addition Gib has served as broadcast meteorologist for WPTZ (NBC affiliate) for 37 years.
Seth McGowan, NASA Solar Eclipse Ambassador
Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory Board Member
Seth was born in the Bronx, NY, and resides in Tupper Lake with his wife, Susan. He and his wife raised their three grown children, Laura, Scott, and Sarah in Tupper Lake. He started his career in 1987 in education as an instrumental music teacher in Indian Lake. He took the same position with the Tupper Lake Central School District in 1990 where he later became the computer technology coordinator for the District, LP Quinn Elementary School Principal, Middle/High School Principal, and served as the Superintendent of Schools from 2007 until his retirement in 2020. He spends much of his time doing astronomy outreach to schools and communities, and deep-space astrophotography. Seth is the President of the Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory.
Dr. Edward Deluca, Retired Senior Scientist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Dr. DeLuca's background is in solar magnetohydrodynamics. He has worked with instrumentation scientists at SAO for more than 30 years on NASA and NSF solar missions including the TRACE, Hinode/XRT, SDO/AIA and IRIS space missions and the AIRSpec airborne eclipse experiment. Dr. DeLuca has also done extensive research on the role of active region magnetic fields on the structure and dynamics of the solar corona.
Dr. Seth Redfield, Professor of Astronomy and Director of the College of Integrative Sciences
Professor Seth Redfield is a Professor of Astronomy and the Director of the College of Integrative Sciences at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. By using telescopes around the world and in space, he studies the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets and the gas and dust floating between the nearest stars, the local interstellar medium. Professor Redfield earned a double bachelor’s degree from Tufts University, where he studied physics and astronomy, and the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied oboe performance, music theory, and composition. Prof. Redfield obtained his PhD from the University of Colorado and was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Texas.
Ms. Elaine Fortin, NASA Solar System Ambassador
Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory Board Member
Elaine Fortin has taken several university astronomy courses and worked at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She has followed astronomy in the news all her life and can present a vibrant presentation on many topics in astronomy. She holds a Masters degree from Harvard University in Information Technology. She has an understanding of how things fit together in space exploration: from the building of telescopes, to the launch into space or Earth based observatories, to orbits to daily operations, to transmission of data between Earth and spacecrafts, to the control centers and delivery of end products to scientists and the public.
Learn more about the Total Solar Eclipse Festival Weekend at The Wild Center here.