'Mars and Stars Series' Will Open at Caspers

If using the Star Walk app in your backyard isn't satisfying your quest for astrological exploration, learn from astronomers and NASA scientists and engineers who are stopping into on Aug. 20.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Orange County Astronomers Club will participate in a series of educational public programs through Oct. 8.

All events are free and include presentations by experts in robotic space exploration, children’s crafts and storytime, stargazing presented by astronomers and scale models of Mars rovers.

The launch event of the series will be held at Caspers, where Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars exploration rover systems engineer Scott Lever will present “Roaming Mars, A Personal Perspective.”

The presentation will highlight getting to Mars, working a remote robot on Mars and some of the scientific results found while exploring the planet.

Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve will host the second event in the series at 7 p.m. Sept. 3. Jet Propulsion Laboratory solar system ambassador John Hoot will explain how scientists, command, monitor, navigate and return data from spacecraft over 100 million miles away.

Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley will host the third event in the series at 7 p.m. Sept. 17. Jet Propulsion Laboratory planetary scientist Ashwin Vasavada will talk about the Mars science laboratory mission, set to launch in November 2011.

Vasavada is the deputy project scientist on the mission, helping lead the international team of scientists. The presentation will focus on the science side of the mission. An inflatable Curiosity Rover will be displayed.

Irvine Regional Park provides the setting for the final event of the series. At 6 p.m. Oct. 8, Jet Propulsion Laboratory will again present the Mars science laboratory mission, this time focusing on the engineering side of the mission.

This mission is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Programs, a longterm effort of robotic exploration of the red planet. The inflatable Curiosity Rover will again be on display. The Orange County Zoo and Irvine Park Railroad will remain open until dusk.

All events and parking are free to the public, reservations are required.

7 p.m. Aug. 20
Sunset: 7:36 p.m.
Presentation: 8 p.m.
Mars Exploration Rover Mission
Location: Caspers Wilderness Park, 33401 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano
Website: ocparks.com/caspers/
RSVP Required: (949) 923-2210 or e-mail casperspark@ocparks.com

7 p.m. Sept. 3
Sunset: 7:18 p.m.
Presentation: 8 p.m.
Overloading Our Celestial Circuits
Location: Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, 2301 University Dr., Newport Beach
Website: ocparks.com/uppernewportbay/
RSVP Required: (949) 923-2290

7 p.m. Sept. 17
Sunset: 6:59 p.m.
Presentation: 8 p.m.
Mars Science Laboratory Mission–Scientists Perspective
Location: Mile Square Regional Park, 16801 Euclid, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Website: ocparks.com/milesquare/
RSVP Required: (714) 973-6600

6 p.m. Oct. 8
Sunset: 6:29 p.m.
Presentation: 7 p.m.
Mars Science Laboratory Mission–Engineers Perspective
Location: Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 92869
Website: ocparks.com/irvinepark/
RSVP Required: (714) 973-6835