Please note: This event will be held via Zoom. On Wednesday, February 3rd, the day before the event, ticket holders will receive an email from Hamptons Observatory that contains the link, meeting ID and password that you will need to join the meeting the next day.

NASA's DC-8 Airborne Laboratory serves the world's scientific community by collecting data for scientific research pertaining to studies of the Earth's surface and atmosphere. Data gathered have been used for scientific studies in archeology, ecology, geography, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, volcanology, atmospheric chemistry, soil science, and biology.

As a navigator for the Airborne Laboratory, Walter Klein travels all over the world on missions as geographically and scientifically diverse as mapping polar ice in Antarctica from 1500 feet altitude, to studying pollution by flying the DC-8 in corkscrew patterns over an Asian mega-city and the California Central Valley.

In addition to his work with the Airborne Laboratory, Klein will discuss SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7-meter (106-inch) reflecting telescope (with an effective diameter of 2.5 meters or 100 inches). Flying into the stratosphere at 38,000-45,000 feet puts SOFIA above 99 percent of Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. The observatory’s mobility allows researchers to observe from almost anywhere in the world, and enables studies of transient events that often take place over oceans where there are no telescopes.

Klein has a deep commitment to sharing information about NASA's Airborne Science Program missions with students, teachers and the public, and to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and pilots. We are grateful to him for so generously taking the time to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with us.

Hamptons Observatory would also like to thank the co-sponsor of this Zoom event: the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, https://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/