Abstract: Whether you’re a seasoned astronomy veteran, or a newcomer to the field (welcome!) – our Show & Tell-oscope is going to have something for you. From telescope basics and anatomy, to setup and teardown, you’ll have the chance to ask questions to our council and volunteers, see the telescopes up close, and learn how to operate them! Stick around after the main presentations for some coffee and treats as well, and don’t be afraid to come up and chat with us!
Jennie “Starstuff” King is a NASA Solar System Ambassador with a degree in astronomy. While studying astronomy and physics, she discovered her love of science education through work with elementary school students. As a high school physics and engineering teacher, she brought her love of space exploration to the classroom. Jennie now manages education programming for Science World in Vancouver. She also has a feline co-pilot named Kepler.
James Tauber is a doctoral candidate and programmer with a background in linguistics, mathematics, and online education. He was involved in the development of web standards like XML and worked as a software developer in industry for over two decades before returning to academia where he now writes open-source software for studying texts and crafts online educational experiences in both the sciences and humanities.
Abstract: NASA produces a wealth of stunning visuals and interactive websites as a result of their deep space missions. But they also provide the raw data to enable others to process images and build new experiences. In this talk, we will share projects that we’ve created utilizing NASA-provided data, which is free and available for anyone to explore. We will show how we apply information from NASA’s Deep Space Network and JPL Horizons on our Space Missions website. We’ll also demonstrate how you can process raw exposures from space science instruments like those aboard JWST into beautiful astronomical imagery. Open science means that you’re all invited to participate in this journey!
Topic: Capturing emission nebulae using a modified camera, even under light-polluted skies.
Speaker: Max Rakhimov
Abstract: Astrophotography is already a tricky hobby, but it becomes even more challenging when trying to capture fine details of deep-space objects under heavy light pollution. Faint objects like emission nebulae can easily get washed out by city lights, making them hard to photograph. We will explore these challenges and show how using modified cameras and special filters can help. These tools improve sensitivity to important wavelengths, allowing photographers to capture the glowing colors and intricate structures of emission nebulae. We’ll also touch on how modified cameras can enhance general Milky Way photography, revealing more detail and richness in the night sky.
Bio: Max Rakhimov has a background in physics and microelectronics, with hands-on experience in optical engineering. An amateur astrophotographer, he specializes in capturing deep space objects from urban environment, navigating the challenges of heavy light pollution. Max uses his skills and the right tools to capture clear, detailed images, even in the presence of light pollution.
Topic: The yearly Space wrap-up and preview: 2025 in review, and a preview of 2026 (Here comes the Moon!)
Speaker: Matthew Borghese, NASA Solar System Ambassador
Abstract: Join Solar System Ambassador Matthew Borghese to hear the latest updates on what is coming up at NASA. 2026 promises to be an exciting new year on Earth and in space, from new rockets to new science missions, and humanity’s long-awaited return to the Moon.
Bio: Matthew Borghese is a communications specialist and former journalist who covered space shuttle launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Matthew lives outside of Victoria, British Columbia where he provides STEM outreach and connects students to careers and internships at the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Matthew presents to a variety of audiences from kindergartners to university students on both sides of the border.
Abstract: Astrophotography is often seen as complex or unreachable, but this talk from Darsh Mittal invites you to experience the night sky not as a distant scientific wonder, but as an accessible canvas available from your own backyard, balcony, or local park. Through simple tools, thoughtful techniques, and a bit of patience, the universe reveals itself in surprising ways. Whether you want to capture the milky way, star trails, the moon, or just understand how to begin observing the sky more intentionally, this session will help you explore the cosmos as it is.
Bio: Darsh Mittal is a visual artist with a masters in digital media from SFU. His work explores how technology and visual storytelling can bring the cosmos closer to us.
Topic: RASC Vancouver’s Show and Tell-escope & Beginner’s Guide to Starhopping
Speaker: Robert Conrad (President RASC Vancouver)
Abstract: Come and learn all about telescopes; the main ones you might have heard of, some you may not have, how they work, and how to take care of them. A number of our volunteers and council members will be on-site in the lobby of the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre later in the evening, standing at the ready beside their telescopes, ready to answer your questions and chat about the stars. Having a telescope is one thing, but knowing how to use it and your own biological set of peepers in conjunction to view the night sky is another. Prior to the Show and Tell-escope, please join us at 7:00pm in the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Auditorium on the Lower Level for an approximately 90 minute lecture on how to navigate the night sky by eye, a process some call starhopping. At the end of the evening, you should have a basic idea of how to locate and navigate yourself amongst some of the stars, as well as know enough to begin thinking about using, renting, or purchasing your own telescope.
Bio: Robert Conrad is currently the President, Observing Director and Education Co-director of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (@ Vancouver). He has taught two courses at SFU through their continuing education program and offers frequent online courses and workshops on Observational Astronomy. His area of focus is teaching the art and science behind starhopping, a method used to locate celestial objects and how to locate comets and asteroids. Outside of astronomy he is an avid wildlife and mountain photographer as well as a learning and development and educational consultant.
Location: Simon Fraser University Burnaby Room AQ3149
Topic: Cosmic Rewind: Celebrating the Last Five Years
Speaker: Jennie “Starstuff” King
Bio: Jennie “Starstuff” King is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s astronomy program. While studying astronomy and physics, she discovered her deep love of science education through work with elementary school students. As a high school AP Physics and Engineering teacher in Colorado, she brought her love of space exploration to the classroom. Jennie became a NASA Solar System Ambassador in order to encourage others to explore the wonders of the cosmos with their hearts, minds, and (especially!) imaginations. In addition to volunteering with NASA, Jennie now works as the Manager of Educator Programs at Science World in Vancouver. She also has a feline co-pilot named Kepler.
Abstract: A great deal of public discussion around space exploration centres on what the future may hold. However, by constantly speculating about what comes next, we may miss opportunities to celebrate the plethora of recent achievements and discoveries in space science. Let’s spend some time reflecting on the amazing accomplishments in space exploration over the past five years, including popular hits as well as some less heard cosmic deep cuts. These past five orbits around the sun have taught us so much about the universe and about what we as humans can achieve when we work together, even during uncertain times. We’ll wrap up by exploring the very near past, as Jennie shares some photos and learnings from her recent trip to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Mount Wilson Observatory.
Location: H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Auditorium (Basement Level) **Please be aware the monthly meeting this month will not be at SFU**
Topic: Bringing the Night Sky to Life: The Vera Rubin Observatory
Speaker: Brett Gladman (in-person)
Bio: Professor Brett Gladman’s astronomical career has been heavily involved with studying moving objects in the Solar System. Having worked in the United States, France, and Canada, he has used many of the world’s best telescopes. He is currently a professor of astronomy at the University of British Columbia.
Abstract: Historically, astronomers have explored to Solar System and more distant universe in two ways. The first is to peer at a tiny fraction of the night sky where some object of interest is, but then what is happening elsewhere remains undetected. Alternately, a very large fraction (or all) of the night sky is ‘surveyed’, but due to the vast area of the sky, there are only a few different times a given location is observed; this results in an inability to see how things might be changing in time. A major leap forward is about to occur in astronomy with the start of the ‘Legacy Survey of Space and Time’ (LSST) that is about to begin using the newly constructed Vera Rubin telescope in Chile. This large (8-meter class) telescope has the goal of imaging the ENTIRE visible night sky (from Chile) during a 3-day interval and then repeating over and over again.This will essentially generate a ‘movie in time’ of the night sky with a 3-day cadence to much fainter depths than have been ever been possible. I will discuss some of the scientific goals that will be made possible by this unique facility.
Location: Simon Fraser University Burnaby Room AQ3159
Topic: Cosmic Rewind: Celebrating the Last Five Years
Speaker: Jennie King
Bio: Jennie “Starstuff” King is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s astronomy program. While studying astronomy and physics, she discovered her deep love of science education through work with elementary school students. As a high school AP Physics and Engineering teacher in Colorado, she brought her love of space exploration to the classroom. Jennie became a NASA-JPL Solar System Ambassador in order to encourage others to explore the wonders of the cosmos with their hearts, minds and imaginations. In addition to volunteering with NASA, Jennie now works as the Manager of Educator Programs at Science World in Vancouver, a role which allows her to continue sparking scientific curiosity and a love of STEAM learning.
Abstract: A great deal of public discussion around space exploration centers on what the future may hold. However, by constantly speculating about what comes next, we may miss opportunities to celebrate the plethora of recent achievements and discoveries in space science. Let’s spend some time reflecting on the amazing accomplishments in space exploration over the past five years, including popular hits as well as some less heard cosmic deep cuts. These past five orbits around the sun have taught us so much about the universe and about what we as humans can achieve when we work together, even during uncertain times.
Location: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Mountain Campus: AQ, Room 3181 Topic: How I Found 3000 New Exoplanets Speaker: Dr. Michelle Kunimoto
Bio: Michelle Kunimoto is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UBC, where she also obtained her PhD. She was previously a postdoctoral fellow at MIT where she worked on NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission. Dr. Kunimoto is an expert on discovering and characterizing strange new worlds outside of the Solar System, known as exoplanets. She aims to understand the demographics and diversity of exoplanets, especially those that are potentially habitable and Earth-like. Across all of her planet-hunting endeavours, Dr. Kunimoto has found over 3400 planets and planet candidates.
Abstract: From the early days of exoplanet discovery to the revolutionary understanding of thousands of planets today, the field of exoplanet science has evolved at an astonishing pace. In this talk, I will share my experience searching for potentially habitable planets with NASA’s Kepler mission and discovering thousands of planets with NASA’s TESS mission, highlighting the challenges and thrills of analyzing massive datasets to find new worlds. As the field has progressed, the focus has shifted to understanding the atmospheres of exoplanets and rethinking what makes a planet habitable. Exoplanet science provides the opportunity to start answering the age-old question: Are we alone?
About our Events: All RASC lectures and observing events are open to the public, family friendly, and there is no charge for admission. Our organization is run entirely by volunteers who love astronomy and astrophysics. Whether you’re a complete beginner, a seasoned astronomer, or you hope to work for NASA some day, anyone fascinated by space exploration is welcome and will enjoy our events
