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Each week we’re going to try and moments in history, upcoming events, and different way you can engage in doing astronomy.

Special Announcement: The New Horizons’s mission is working to get signatures on a petition to create a stamp dedicated to the missions 2015 visit to Pluto. You can sign it by visiting change.org.

History Highlights | Events | Looking Ahead

Events for Febraury 4 – 11, 2012

• Public (Second Life) Dark Matter by SL Patio Plasma
  Time: Saturday 10am LA / 1pm NEW YORK / 6pm LONDON / 5am + 1d SYDNEY
  Location: Large Auditorium on StellaNova, Second Life
  A look at the observations that convince scientists that dark matter exists followed by a look at experiments they are conducting to determine what it is. (see all MICA events here)
• Astronomy Cast with Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay
  Time: Monday 12pm LA / 3pm NEW YORK/ 8pm LONDON / 5am + 1d SYDNEY
  Location: Google Hangouts on Air at CosmoQuest
  Take a facts-based journey through the cosmos with Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay. They’ll help you learn not only what we know but how we know it about the universe we live in.
• Weekly Astronomy Hour: Lunar Round Table (hope to have associated observing)
  Time: Wednesday 4pm PACIFIC / 7pm EASTERN / 0:00 + 1d GMT / 11am + 1d Sydney
  Location: Google Hangouts on Air at CosmoQuest
  Learn about modern lunar discoveries.
• Weekly Space Hangout hosted by Fraser Cain.
  Time: Thursday 10am PACIFIC / 1pm EASTERN / 6pm GMT / 5am +1 d SYDNEY
  Location: Google Hangouts on Air at CosmoQuest
  Join Fraser Cain along with some combination Alan Boyle,  Pamela Gay, Nicole Gugliucci, Emily Lakdawalla, Phil Plait, and Miles O’Brien for a round of this weeks Space News.

Save the Date!

• Palo Alto Meetup: Come talk astronomy and space science at the SETI Institute with team scientists and educators including Dr. Pamela L. Gay. RSVP on our Meetup Group
• Science & Engineering Festival, Washington, D.C.: Join us April 28-29 for the ultimate celebration of science and engineering. CosmoQuest will be part of the NASA display.
• International Observe the Moon Night:Scheduled for Sept 22, it’s none to soon to start planning your events. Learn more here.

Looking back: Anniversaries

• John L.E. Dreye Birthday: Born Feb. 13, 1852, Dreye became the director of Armagh Observatory in 1882. He compiled the “New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars.”
• Galileo Galilei Birthday: Born Feb 15, 1564, Galileo was the first person to use a telescope for astronomical purposes. Among his discoveries were the phases of Venus, mountains on the Moon, and the moons of Jupiter.
• Dawn Mission fly past Mars: Feb 17, 2009