97°F
weather icon Clear

DVNP hosts MarsFest this weekend

Death Valley National Park will host the third annual MarsFest this weekend, March 28-30 at the Furnace Creek Visitors’ Center.

MarsFest is designed to elevate public awareness about planetary analog research taking place on Earth, and its associated missions in space such as Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and the upcoming 2020 missions.

The National Park Service will collaborate again this year with the SETI Institute (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence), various NASA branches and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to bring scientists and the public together to explore the fascinating research being done in this field.

For decades, planetary scientists have come to the park to conduct research and instrument testing. There are several planetary analog research sites that are equivalent to those on other planets and all within the park’s boundaries. Field trips to some of the sites are scheduled for Saturday.

The event is free, requires no registration and is appropriate for all ages.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Chris McKay, Planetary Scientist within the Space Science Division of NASA Ames, and will also feature scientist-led field trips to analog sites such as Badwater Basin, Ubehebe Volcanic Field and Mesquite Sand Dunes.

The event will also offer guest lectures and special presentations at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. An additional feature is a “Curiosity Hour” update featuring scientists participating in the MSL Curiosity rover mission, followed by a Q&A session.

For more information contact Terry Baldino at terry_baldino@nps.gov, 760-786-3279.

Schedule as follows:

Friday

7 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. — Welcome from Kathy Billings, Superintendent of Death Valley National Park Welcome from NASA Ames &SETI Institute (TBD)

7:15 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. — Keynote Address: “Planetary Missions and the search for life in dry environments on Earth and Mars”

Saturday

Walks (Meeting at location’s parking lot):

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. — Mesquite Sand Dunes: Aaron Zent (NASA Ames Research Center), Mesquite Sand Dunes: Analogs to the Gale Crater Curiosity Site

10:30 a.m. - 12 noon — Badwater: Susanne Douglas (Planetary Science Institute, PSI)

Auditorium Talks

1:35 p.m. - 2:10 p.m. — Working the Mojave with an Eye toward Mars: Use of Analog Sites in and Near Death Valley

2:10 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. — Exploring Other-Worldly Sites, Here on Earth

2:45 p.m. - 3:05 p.m. — BREAK

3:05 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. — In the Ghetto: Rock Colonization Strategies for Survival in Extreme and Prolonged Dryness

3:40 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. — BREAK

3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. — Curiosity Hour update: A brief overview of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover and Q&A

Sunday

Walks (Meeting at Ubehebe Crater parking lot): Brunch at the crater

10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. — Making Mars Work for Ubehebe

A full itenerary is online at www.seti.org/marsfest-2014.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
GALLERY: Homeschoolers come together at Steampunk Soiree dance

Homeschool students of Pahrump and the surrounding areas were invited to celebrate the start of a brand new school year with their very own homecoming dance — the Steampunk Soiree.

After 25 years, an empire of junk in Pahrump is being sold

After 25 years, Smitty, the owner of a local salvage yard, says he’s ready to call it quits. You might know him from his blunt classifieds in the Pahrump Valley Times that advertise the parts, machinery and other fixer-uppers he’s sold over the decades.

Beatty burros are burdening town — officials aim to remove some members of massive herd

The Bullfrog Herd Management Area, which includes Beatty, is grossly overpopulated with wild burros. According to previously stated management goals, the population of the animals should be kept to around 80 burros, but it has far exceeded that number for years. The last time a gather was carried out, there were more than 800 burros, and the BLM removed more than 400, which was the capacity of the agency’s holding facilities.

GALLERY: See photos from Pahrump’s Purple Heart Day

Military service often comes with sacrifice and National Purple Heart Day is intended to honor those who have suffered wounds or made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in defense of America.

GALLERY: Helen Keller Days raises $2k for local Federation of the Blind Chapter

The 2nd Annual Helen Keller Days took place with members of the Southern Nye County Chapter of the Federation of the Blind coming together with community supporters for an afternoon of fun and excitement, all in the name of fundraising.

GALLERY: How Pahrump marked Juneteenth

Several members of the community met at the Black Cow’s open-mic session on Wednesday evening, followed by a candlelight vigil at the corner of Highway 160 and Basin Avenue in the Petrack Park parking lot. Hymns and songs of freedom were sung by the group to mark Juneteenth in Pahrump for the fourth year since President Joe Biden signed the nation’s newest holiday into law in 2021.

95-year-old grand marshal shares the secret to his longevity

More than 40 friends and family celebrated Emil Janssen’s 95th birthday on Saturday, June 8 at the Pahrump Senior Center. The co-founder of Pahrump Family Mortuary will serve as grand marshal for this year’s Fourth of July parade in Pahrump, and says the secret to his longevity is simple.

Nye GOP Chairman: ‘A sad day in America’

In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s felony conviction, members of the Nye County Republican Party are standing by the 45th president, according to party chairman Leo Blundo.