This week we welcome Dr. Clare Higgs as our guide to the cutting edge Rubin Observatory.
In 2026, the NSF- DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory will begin the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). This survey will produce a treasure trove of data for a wide range of science objectives—from a census of our Solar System and exploring the structure of the Milky Way to cataloging transient objects and probing the nature of dark matter and dark energy. When complete, the LSST dataset will contain over 35 billion objects, creating an unprecedented movie of the southern sky.
About Dr. Higgs: After completing her undergraduate studies in Physics at Queen’s University in Ontario, Clare Higgs pursued a Masters and PhD in Astronomy at the University of Victoria, located in British Columbia, Canada. She studied the resolved stars in nearby, isolated dwarf galaxies to better understand how environment affects the structure of galaxies. She is now an astronomer on the Education & Public Outreach team at NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory. The EPO team works to bring Rubin Observatory and its data to the public, as it embarks on a decade of exciting science and discovery.
Clare has a passion for astronomy, particularly observational astronomy in the optical wavelengths and is looking forward to continuing to study dwarf galaxies in the era of Rubin. She lives in Fort Collins, CO with her partner Kyle and dog Poe.
Reminder: Our Thursday evening programs continue throughout the year. Send an email to contact@standleylakestargazing.com if you’d like to join the mailing list and receive notifications about our weekly programs.
Two ways to join:
1) In-person at the Standley Lake Library
8485 Kipling St
Arvada CO 80005
Phone: (303) 235-5275
2) Virtually via Zoom, launch the meeting with this link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/98762823840?pwd=NWJ0Y3FMTnVZRGRxMmRZcHRkU2V5dz09
Families welcome. Hosted by Standley Lake Stargazing and Standley Lake Library
Send questions to Contact@StandleyLakeStargazing.com
Learn more at www.standleylakestargazing.com/programs
Visit the library at jeffcolibrary.org/locations/SL/