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The Lowell Observatory: Past, Present, and Future

When:
Thursday, June 08, 2017, 8:00 PM
Where:
Phillips Auditorium
60 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA  
Additional Info:
Category:
Monthly Meeting
Registration is not Required
Payment In Full In Advance Only

The Lowell Observatory: Past, Present, and Future
W. Lowell Putnam

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, founded in 1894 by American astronomer Percival Lowell, is one of the oldest observatories in the United States. It was here in 1930 that astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered the dwarf planet Pluto. W. Lowell Putnam, great-grandnephew of Percival Lowell, will talk about the history of the Observatory and the current range of fields studied (extensive). His presentation will include an interview with a Lowell Observatory researcher who gives her answer to “Why be an Astronomer?” and talks of her specialty (Irregular Dwarf Galaxies), plus videos of Mars and Pluto flyovers to discuss planetary studies.  He concludes with a discussion of current research that is just underway in the area of exo-planets.

W. Lowell Putnam is serving as the 5th Sole Trustee of Lowell Observatory, having succeeded his father, Bill, in 2013. Putnam also serves as one of seven members of the Board of Trustees of the Lowell Observatory Foundation.

In 1984, Putnam founded Video Communications, Inc. (VCI), a software company specializing in business systems for TV networks, cable channels and local TV Stations. Clients included The Weather Channel, Comcast, Univision and about 25% of the TV stations in the US and Canada. In 2010, Putnam sold the company and became the Trust Administrator for the observatory. He is currently director of PeopleHedge, which is a Boston-based firm dealing in currency exchange.

Putnam holds a B.S. in Psychology from American International College in Massachusetts and is a Life Member of the American Alpine Club and The Nature Conservancy.




Please join us for a pre-meeting dinner discussion at House of Chang, 282 Concord Ave, Cambridge, MA at 6:00pm before the meeting.