Saturn in eclipse, as imaged by Cassini ISS. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute.)

Saturn in eclipse, as imaged by Cassini ISS. Public domain. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute.)

Date/time: 7:30pm, every other Tuesday starting Sept. 1 and extending through Nov. 24.
Location: Talks will be held in The Fort Atkinson Club Community Center, 211 S. Water Street East
Description: Informative and wide-ranging talks given by local experts in their fields. Free and open to the public. Talks will run about 40 minutes, followed by Q&A and time for socializing.
Cost: Free, but donations encouraged.
Target audience: All interested members of the public.

First Lecture (Sept. 1st):
Snapshots from Saturn: Highlights from the Cassini Mission

The Cassini mission launched in 1997 and has been in orbit around Saturn since its arrival there in 2004. It is the first, and still the only, orbiting spacecraft to reach the outer solar system. Its twelve instruments will continue to explore the Saturn system until 2017, when, after a spectacular and risky final maneuver that will send it to the innermost reaches of the ring system, it will finally disappear beneath the giant planet’s atmosphere.

Ben Knowles has worked for the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) Operations team since 2002. He is responsible for the calibration and archiving of ISS image data, and also assists with observation planning. His visually-focused presentation will provide an overview of the Cassini mission, emphasizing both the scientific highlights and sublime imagery captured by the ISS cameras.

Full lecture schedule:

Sept. 1: Snapshots from Saturn: Highlights from the Cassini Mission
Breathtaking pictures will be projected on the 8’ x 12’ movie screen up in the FAC Theater
–Ben Knowles (Space Science Institute)

Sept. 15: Personality Awareness as a Tool for Managing Stress
–Brandi Niemeier (HPERC, UW-Whitewater)

Sept. 29: Birds and Birdwatching in Jefferson County
–Daniel Schneider (Wisconsin DNR)

Oct. 13: Change a Lightbulb, Save the Planet? Individual Environmental Action and the Tragedy of the Commons
–Edward Gimbel (Political Science, UW-Whitewater)

Oct. 27: The Emotional Power of Fiction: A View from Cognitive Neuroscience
–David Havas (Psychology, UW-Whitewater)

Nov. 10: Disturbing Trends in American Politics: Inequality, Polarization, and Distrust
–Jonah Ralston (Political Science, UW-Whitewater)

Nov. 24: Generations of the Web: From Vacuum Tubes to the Internet of Things
–Carol Scovotti (Marketing, UW-Whitewater)

About The Fort Atkinson Club Community Center: The newly renovated Fort Atkinson Club is an independent, multi-purpose, nonprofit community center that serves the members, neighbors, and visitors of Fort Atkinson, WI. This historic downtown hub along the Rock River will provide people of all ages and backgrounds a place to come together through education, arts, wellness, business, community events, and other fun activities — while showcasing the history, culture, and heritage of the area. The FAC offers an expanding variety of ways to nurture and support this vibrant community and facilitates many opportunities for others to participate in positive collaboration.  For more information, email: Info@FortAtkinsonClub.org or call:  920-568-1720.