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While President Ben Fisher was out of town, PPx2 Diane Good presided over the meeting. She started the meeting with information about the “Donut Lassies” who were Salvation Army volunteers during World War I. The “Donut Lassies” were the only non-military people on the front lines, and they provided donuts and boosted the morale of the soldiers. Following that introduction PPx2 Diane Good asked members who were veterans to stand up and be honored. Christine Clayburg (National Guard), Tom Barron (Army), and Curt Smith (Air force) were applauded and given a rose and a donut by a contemporary “donut lady”, Teya McCockran. Thank you for your service!
Nanci Cohen was today’s friendly greeter, and Bob Simon led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PP Ed Jackson presented the thought of the day. He discussed his family background as well as contentious interactions in today’s world. People have been insulting and joking about other people, and that behavior must cease. He encouraged optimism for the future and mentioned that World Kindness Day (November 13) should become a daily habit.
General “FINE” announcements:
PP Mark Rogo & his lovely wife, Lynn, have just become the proud grandparents of a baby girl born on November 14th to Marcie & Patrick. Although the granddaughter decided to arrive earlier than expected and needed some special attention, all are doing well now. CONGRATULATIONS (and thank you for the $60.00 happy dollars!!)
President Ben Fisher’s “SuperSlowLA” in Brentwood was cited in a recent article in the Los Angeles Times about slow-motion strength training facilities. The date of the article in the “Lifestyle” section may be November 12th. It appears it will increase the President’s profile as well as his number of clients so we will start with a $50.00 fine and see how fast it grows!!
Bob Simon announced he was taking a trip for the next few weeks around the world so, it became a “fine” day indeed. I believe $60.00 was the happy news for the Club.
PP Tom Barron introduced today’s speaker, Dr. Jessica Spake from the Carnegie Science Observatories in Pasadena. Two of her colleagues also attended the meeting. Erica Clark is the Strategic Initiative Coordinator, and James Morse is the Senior Development Coordinator. PP Tom Barron mentioned the possibility of a tour of the facility.
Dr. Jessica Spake received her PhD in astronomy from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. She recently transferred from Caltech to the Carnegie Science Observatories. (Note: Andrew Carnegie used his immense fortune to fund libraries, research facilities, observatories, and other institutions for the benefit of society.)
The title of her presentation was “The Strange Skies of Alien Worlds”.
Dr. Spake has been studying exoplanets (extrasolar planets) which are outside our solar system and circle other stars in our galaxy. She made the first successful observation of helium on an exoplanet. She has been analyzing which exoplanets retain or lose their atmospheres. This type of research may provide clues in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Detecting exoplanets is challenging and involves an extensive team of astronomers, engineers, and support staff. Over 5,000 exoplanets were found in the past few years. It is difficult to take an actual picture of an exoplanet due to the brightness of their star, so indirect methods of detection are used. For example, the exoplanet’s orbit may cause a detectable wobble in the star. Another technique involves observation of a transit event when the exoplanet passes in front of its star. It is easier to find exoplanets which are circling smaller stars. So far, only a small section of our galaxy has been examined.
Exoplanets are diverse and come in various sizes. Astronomers have been searching for planets which may have water and have been examining hydrogen clouds surrounding exoplanets. However, it has proven difficult to locate a rocky exoplanet similar to earth. Hydrogen clouds are identifiable due to their color. Dr. Spake discovered a helium cloud around an exoplanet because the color was different than that of hydrogen.
Astronomers have researched the cosmos using various telescopes such as the Hubble space telescope, the James Webb space telescope, and the Magellan telescopes in northern Chile. (Unfortunately, the large Palomar telescope in Southern California is currently less useful due to the increased “light pollution” in the region.)
Some of the exoplanets in our galaxy are 100 light years away, and it is possible that conditions may have changed greatly by the time information reaches earth. Astronomers dream about researching new galaxies, but these galaxies can be millions of light years away. (A light year is about 6 trillion miles.)
Aside from her work in astronomy, Dr. Spake also engages in service above self by helping homeless children. She volunteers for an organization “School on Wheels” which operates in Los Angeles and surrounding counties. The goal is to provide tutoring and mentoring for children who do not have a permanent residence.
This was a highly informative and educational presentation.
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