The Kingston Frontenac Public Library celebrates World Space Week from October 4-10, with astronomer and author Frank Hitchens. The event will focus on explaining the importance of the Hubble Space Telescope launch in the history of astronomy on October 9 in an online event.
The event was initially planned for in-person viewing and live broadcast simultaneously on September 25 as part of KFPL’s Science Literacy Week activities. However, due to a change in scheduling, the event was rescheduled.
Anne Hall, Librarian, Programming and Outreach at KFPL, said Frank Hitchens kindly offered to reschedule his presentation for October 9, this time as a zoom-only interactive program.
Hitchens will be performing at KFPL for the fourth time. He will talk about the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990 and its importance to astronomy through all the updates and modifications it has undergone since then.
“I find the history of Hubble so impressive, especially because it shows the large number of people and agencies that have come together to ensure international access to such a wide range of scientists, including amateur astronomers,” said Anne Hall.
“It really gives humanity hope when we can come together to cooperate on such a large scale.”
In September 2017 at KFPL, Hitchens spoke about the search for life in other parts of the universe, and in 2018 he spoke again about the threat to Earth from asteroid and comet collisions. Then in 2019, he commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. He also described being 12 years old in 1969 and seeing the moon landing on his uncle’s television in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. That was the beginning of his passion for astronomy throughout his life.
“It is a great privilege to share my fascination with the cosmos with others,” said Hitchens.
Reference-ygknews.ca