Take to the Stars This Weekend with a NASA Scientist

Learn about the latest findings from the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover when a scientist with the National Air and Space Administration (NASA) speaks at Anne Arundel Community College's astronomy club, scheduled for Saturday.

The special guest that evening will be Kelly Fast, Ph.D., a planetary scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, currently serving with NASA.

Her talk is one of the Planet Walk events on Saturday that are co-sponsored by the AACC Astronomy Club, the Friends of Anne Arundel Trails Inc. and the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. The annual astronomy event features both daytime and evening astronomy-themed activities, talks and stargazing.

Fast is a program scientist for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, which will launch to Mars in late 2013.

Her research includes the study of planetary atmospheres, including the chemistry in Mars’ atmosphere and the effects of impacts in Jupiter’s atmosphere as observed from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, according to a release. The MAVEN mission will study the upper atmosphere and water escape on Mars.

The evening's schedule of events includes: 

• 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Planet Walk on 4.7 mile section of Baltimore and Annapolis Trail
• 7:30 p.m. Kelly Fast gives talk about Mars
• 8:30 p.m., Weather permitting, community stargazing at AACC Astronomy Lab

All three events are free.  For more information, call 410-777-2260 or visit website, www.friendsofaatrails.org.