FRIDAY, DEC. 12
9:30 a.m. | Coffee & Cosmos | Borderland Lodge (Gunflint Trail)
Dark Sky Breakfast Social - Free Complimentary Breakfast & Coffee at Borderland Lodge. Enjoy a cozy atmosphere accompanied by the Scientists from NASA. Eat, sip, and take the opportunity to ask questions and conversate.
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Dark Sky Art Activities | Joy & Co.
****CANCELLED**** Sorry for the inconvenience, our NASA ladies are unable to present tonight. | 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Different Roads, One Giant Leap: Artemis Science Careers with Amber & Kiarre from NASA | North House Folk School
Amber & Kiarre share their unique journeys as scientists supporting Artemis mission planning, science operations, and astronaut training. They'll show you how space exploration can be pursued in exciting ways off the beaten path.
Amber Turner is an Artemis Mission Support Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. She specializes in geospatial science - the science of mapping extraterrestrial bodies. Amber applies her mapping expertise to a wide range of Artemis mission needs, including developing training and flight materials for astronauts. Beyond mapmaking, she has experience researching lunar and Martian meteorites and has worked across multiple areas of planetary science- literally from the ground up, from samples to orbiters.
Amber earned her Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and her Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems from Ulster University in the U.K. She has been with NASA for eight years.
Kiarre Dumes is a Mission Scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where she plays a pivotal role in bridging the science operations with mission planning and execution. Her work mainly supports Artemis missions and astronaut training, from Earth science to planetary exploration, ensuring that scientific objectives are integrated into mission workflows and that researchers have the tools and data they need to succeed. Kiarre's career path is anything but traditional. With a background that spans scientific research, data coordination, and interdisciplinary collaboration, she brings a unique perspective to NASA's science community.
Kiarre earned her Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Houston and her Master's degree in Human Research from Lamar University, and has worked with NASA contributing to projects that support both current missions and future exploration goals for three years.
5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. | Winter Stars, planets, and features the Orion Nebula with Bob King | North House Folk School
Bob King fell in love with the night sky and astronomy when he was a kid and loves to share his passion with people of all ages. Bob writes for Sky & Telescope's website and magazine, teaches community education astronomy and pens the Astro Bob blog for the Duluth News Tribune. He also shares monthly observing tips on WTIP. His latest book, Magnificent Aurora, is a comprehensive guide to the northern and southern lights. He lives in Duluth, Minnesota, with his wife and has two adult daughters. Bob enjoys chasing aurora, observing comets and supernovae and cross country skiing.
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | The Science (and Art) Behind Deep Space Astrophotography - & How You Can Do It As A Complete Beginner with Kyle Johnson | North House Folk School
Learn the foundations of how astronomers capture data (photos) of space and how you can do it yourself as a complete beginner. In this talk, you will learn how space telescopes like Hubble capture stunning images of the cosmos, and how these techniques can be applied to amateur night sky photography. Whether you have just a phone camera or a full DSLR, you will learn actionable techniques that will elevate your astrophotography to rival photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope!
Kyle Johnson (KJ) is an Emmy-nominated cinematographer with a passion for astronomy and nature. His YouTube channel, KJ's Cosmos, focuses on teaching astrophotography, documenting adventures in the northwoods of Minnesota, and finding a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
