Back Bay Amateur Astronomers

Science in Science Fiction: The Martian

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Event

Botany, duct tape, and orbital dynamics—just another day on Mars! Join the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers to explore where science fiction meets science fact in Andy Weir’s The Martian.

This first of a new series of events focuses on emphasizing the actual science in many popular modern and classic works of science fiction.  Free to all, it starts in the small classroom on the first floor of Chesapeake Central Library.  Conditions permitting, astronomy observing will follow on the "front porch" of the library after the presentation.

https://events.chesapeakelibrary.org/event/13720021

 

Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Time: 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Location: Chesapeake Central Library
298 Cedar Rd
Chesapeake, VA 23322

Information for Visitors

Science in Science Fiction-The Martian.png 338 KB

Location Details

Chesapeake Central Library
298 Cedar Rd
Chesapeake, VA 23322
(click to get directions)
check weather forecast

Event Report

Comments and anecdotes about the event:
With the blessing of Andy Weir, the back Bay Amateur Astronomers joined Chesapeake Central Library for the first in a new series, "Science in Science Fiction - The Martian." We reviewed some of the good science in the book (and movie), as well as the places where Mr. Weir or the movie crew took creative license/down-played events for drama. Wrapping up in the summer at library closing, there was time for Mr. Shawn Loescher to share views of the Sun in both white light and hydrogen-alpha!
Photo From Science in Science Fiction: The Martian
Could NASA and JPL really have woken up Pathfinder despite it's age? Jeremy Mitchell of the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers explains how the JPL team repaired Voyager from across the solar system at the first instance of Science in Science Fiction - The Martian! (Photo credit: Joanna Herlan)
Photo From Science in Science Fiction: The Martian
On Earth or Mars, the same glorious sun shines down. Since the Chesapeake Central Library closed before sunset, Mr. Shawn Loescher took the opportunity to show off the sun in both white light and hydrogen-alpha narrowband following Science in Science Fiction! (Photo credit: Joanna Herlan)

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