CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. (EYT) — The Oil Region Astronomical Society (ORAS) is hosting a virtual public night on Saturday, March 25, that includes a presentation by Bruce Howard on his optical program to search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The event begins at 7:00 p.m.

(Photo credits: NASA Ames/SETI Institute/JPL-Caltech)

Who can attend?

Anyone who is interested in learning more about ORAS and astronomy-related topics may attend. Members of the general public, educators, and students from surrounding schools are encouraged to participate.

Public nights are FREE and open to all and will include a brief update about Learning Center activities followed by a presenter. If you have a computer, tablet, or smartphone and internet access you are ready to go!

In an effort to prevent spamming, those interested in participating must register in advance. A link to the virtual event will then be emailed to you separately.

How can I register?

Registration is easy. Simply CLICK or go here to register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OrasPublic.

ORAS Public Night Agenda

6:50 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Zoom Session Opens – Opportunity for Tech-Check to make sure your system is working. (Link will be emailed to you after you register)
7:00 p.m. – 7:10 p.m.: ORAS News and Updates
7:10 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Education Presentation – Optical Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)

About the Presenter

Bruce Howard is a retired design engineer and software developer after 43 years at the Westinghouse Research and Development Lab in Pittsburgh. He has been an amateur astronomer and telescope builder for 40 years.

Currently living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Bruce has recently built a new observatory that houses a 24 inch telescope and a suite of instruments for his optical SETI program.

For more information about ORAS and its events, please visit our website at https://www.oras.org/events-and-outreach.html or email info@oras.org.