Public Astronomy Dark Night At Overlook Nov. 7
PAJARITO ASTRONOMERS News:
The Pajarito Astronomers will be holding their final County-Sponsored Dark Night of 2015 starting at 5 p.m. (sunset) Saturday, Nov. 7 at Spirio Soccer Field in Overlook Park in White Rock.
Weather permitting, the public is invited to come out, wander among the telescopes, and star gaze. The planets Saturn, Neptune and Uranus will be visible.
There will be a tour of the summer and fall constellations, and there will be telescope views of double stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Viewing will end before Read More
WGN’s ‘Manhattan’ Viewing & Discussion On Tuesdays
At left, a photo of the Historic Tech Area. The covered overpasses were built across what is now Trinity Drive, so that scientists could cross over from one building to the other without having to exit and then reinter the secure areas. At right, a photo of the Manhattan series set as seen on TV. Courtesy/LAHS
HISTORICAL SOCIETY News:
The season premiere for WGN’s Manhattan was Oct. 13. The Los Alamos Historical Society continues to hold weekly viewing parties for the show’s second season.
Join Historical Society members at 7 p.m., Tuesdays at Time Out Pizzeria on Central Avenue in Los Alamos, Read More
Public Talk: ‘Delivering Little Boy’ By Grandson Of Manhattan Project Physician Oct. 27
Little Boy. Courtesy/wikipedia
Jim Nolan, a professor of sociology at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., didn’t know much about his grandfather, James F. Nolan, a physician with training in radiology who played a unique role in the early history of the atomic bomb at Los Alamos.
James L. Nolan, Jr., Professor of Sociology, Williams College
The younger Nolan had a general idea that his father had moved to Los Alamos at an early age but no detailed knowledge about his grandfather. Very few details, that is, until three years ago, when his father Read More
Robert Gibson Speaks On Future Energy Resources For Los Alamos County
COUNTY News:
Robert Gibson, chair of the Los Alamos Future Energy Resources Committee, will present “Future Energy Resources for Los Alamos County” at a meeting of the Sierra Club, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 at UNM-Los Alamos, Building 2, room 203.
Los Alamos County’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) adopted a goal in 2013 to “become a carbon-neutral electric provider by 2040.” This year, BPU appointed an ad hoc Future Energy Resources (FER) Committee to recommend a definition of “carbon-neutral,” future electrical energy resources in that context, and policy regarding distributed energy Read More
NNSA Awards Over $11 Million to Accelerate Development Of Domestic Mo-99 In U.S. Without Use Of Highly Enriched Uranium
Workers prepare a low-enriched uranium machine for the production of Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99). Courtesy/NNSA
NNSA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced Thursday it has awarded more than $11 million in additional funding to its cooperative agreement partners, SHINE Medical Technologies and NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, to accelerate the establishment of new, domestic sources of the medical isotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) produced without the use of proliferation-sensitive highly enriched Read More
Water Attorney/Activist Speaks At Nature Center
Water attorney and activist Kyle Harwood in La Cienega. Courtesy photoPEEC News:
How do we protect our aquifers? Action taken in La Cienega, a nearby community, is the subject of the free talk at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Los Alamos Nature Center.
Kyle Harwood, water attorney and La Cienega resident, will share the challenges facing his community along with their efforts to protect their aquifers.
As dessert residents, water is a precious resource. Nearby, the La Cienega region is already seeing diminishing flow from their local springs. They are not alone. Stories of wells and springs running Read More
PEEC Screens Mysteries Of The Unseen World
‘Mysteries Of The Unseen World‘ poster. Courtesy/PEECPEEC News:
A new giant screen film adventure takes audiences on an extraordinary journey into unseen worlds and hidden dimensions beyond our normal vision to uncover the mysteries of things too fast, too slow, too small or simply invisible.
Los Alamos Nature Center will premiere Mysteries Of The Unseen World, a full-dome, original production by National Geographic Entertainment and Days End Pictures at 7 p.m., Oct. 30.
Mysteries Of The Unseen World uses innovative high-speed and time-lapse photography, electron microscopy, Read More
DPU & PEEC Host Home Efficiency Expo
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities is hosting a Home Efficiency Expo 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Are you ready for that next home improvement project at your home? Are you running out of ideas? Why not consider dropping by the Los Alamos Home Efficiency Expo this Saturday to pick up your free home energy efficiency kit?
The event is at the Golf Course Community Building at 4244 Diamond Dr. in Los Alamos and is free to the public. All home owners and renters are invited.
Complete participating organizations and vendors at the Expo include:
- DPU Energy and Water Conservation
New Planetarium Feature Film This Weekend: Back To The Moon for Good
Poster for ‘Back to the Moon For Good’ Courtesy/PEECPEEC News:
Back To The Moon For Good, an exciting, educational full-dome show narrated by award-winning actor Tim Allen, premieres at Los Alamos Nature Center 2 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25.
The 25-minute digital film highlights the history of exploring the moon and provides an insider’s look at the teams vying for the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE, the largest incentivized prize in history.
Back To The Moon For Good begins with a tour through the history of lunar exploration, tracing back to the 1960s and 1970s. We hear from some Read More
Final 2015 Fourth Friday Oct. 23
CREATIVE DISTRICT News:
Los Alamos Creative District’s Final Fourth Friday of 2015 will happen in downtown Los Alamos this Friday, Oct. 23. Fourth Friday will begin again in January 2016.
Fourth Fridays is a monthly event that offers extended hours or special programming at Bradbury Science Museum, Los Alamos Historical Society, Fuller Lodge Art Center, The Nature Center and Mesa Public Library. Fourth Fridays also promotes special offerings from participating local businesses. This month Fourth Friday special events and include:
The Bradbury Science Museum will Read More
Rings of Fire: New Explosives Provide Enhanced Safety, High Energy
Explosives chemist David Chavez weighs a small amount of tetrazine, an explosives precursor. Chavez has synthesized two new explosives molecules that promise high-energy with enhanced safety. Courtesy/LANL
A small amount of explosive material is subjected to shock wave with a striker plate to induce detonation. An explosive material’s insensitivity — it’s resistance to accidental or unintended detonation — is one set of data measured using this type of test. Photo by Daniel Preston/LANL
LANL News:
Los Alamos National Laboratory explosives chemist David Chavez has synthesized Read More
NNSA Announces Procurement Of Penguin Computing Clusters To Support Stockpile Stewardship At National Laboratories
Doug Wade
NNSA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory today announced the awarding of a subcontract to Penguin Computing – a leading developer of high-performance Linux cluster computing systems based in Silicon Valley – to bolster computing for stockpile stewardship at its three national security laboratories.
Under the terms of the contract, awarded by Lawrence Livermore for NNSA’s tri-lab Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program, Penguin Computing will receive $39 million to provide Read More
Public Input And Concerns Sought At Road Map Meeting Oct. 20
NMED News:
- State of New Mexico Develops Collaborative Plan for Monitoring of Gold King Mine Spill’s Long-Term Effects
SANTA FE—The State of New Mexico’s multi-agency Long-Term Impact Review Team, named by Gov. Susana Martinez during the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gold King Mine Spill last August, is developing the Road Map for continuing environmental monitoring activities that are informed by continuing public input.
By collaborating with San Juan County’s civic and regional leaders, academia, stakeholder groups, and concerned citizens, and by reaching out to the Read More
Scenes From Sunday’s PEECnic At Nature Center
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com 
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com Read More
New Project Seeks To Improve Water Management
Release valve for holding tank. Courtesy photo
By MANDY MARKSTEINER
Los Alamos
Rivers in New Mexico are often nothing more than a slow trickle.
David Montoya grew up in a family who has used traditional irrigation for generations. He is concerned because small farms can no longer get by as well as they used to using the acequia system.
“Drought conditions in the Southwest have caused quite a disruption in how irrigation is done,” Montoya said. “There is little water left for traditional irrigation.”
Montoya decided to do something about it. He is investigating Read More
Home Efficiency Expo In Los Alamos Oct. 24
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities is hosting a Home Efficiency Expo Saturday, Oct. 24.
The event will be held at the Golf Course Community Building at 4244 Diamond Dr. in Los Alamos and is free to the public. Home owners and renters alike are invited to drop in between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
According to DPU’s Conservation Coordinator Christine Chavez, “the purpose of the Expo is to assist our community to lower their utility bills by bringing organizations, vendors and customers all together in one place where they can learn how to make homes more water and energy Read More
NMED Improvement Board Hosts Public Hearing
NMED News:
The New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m., Dec. 18 in Room 322 at the State Capitol Building, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail in Santa Fe.
The purpose of the hearing is to consider the matter of EIB 15-01(R), proposed amendments to 20.2.77 NMAC (New Source Performance Standards), 20.2.78 NMAC (Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants) and 20.2.82 NMAC (Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standards for Source Categories of Hazardous Air Pollutants).
The New Mexico Environment Department is petitioning the EIB to amend these rules Read More
W80-4: Sandia California Works On Nuclear Weapon Life Extension Program
The W80-4 mechanical team at Sandia National Laboratories reviews the results of thermal analysis. From the top center, counterclockwise, are Ryan Johnson, Bryn Miyahara, Alvin Leung and Matt H. Jones. Photo by Randy Wong
SANDIA LABS News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Sandia National Laboratories is doing what it hasn’t done in decades: extending the life of a nuclear warhead at the same time the U.S. Air Force develops a replacement cruise missile that will carry the weapon.
The goal of the W80-4 Life Extension Program (LEP) is refurbishing the W80 warhead with replacement components for aging technology Read More
Valles Caldera Plans Prescribed Burn Thursday
VCNP News:
JEMEZ SPRINGS – The Valles Caldera National Preserve is planning to implement a prescribed burn project Thursday, Oct. 15.
The prescribed burn will be within a 380-acre unit on the Valles Caldera National Preserve, north of N.M. 4 in the Banco Bonito area near mile marker 30. Because of the location and elevation, smoke from the burn may be visible from all directions coming into the Jemez Mountains area. The burn operations should be completed in 1-2 days and are not expected to necessitate road closures.
The pretreatment of the forest substantially reduced the amount of fuel Read More
Public Astronomy Dark Night Saturday Oct. 17
PAJARITO ASTRONOMERS News:
The Pajarito Astronomers will hold a County-sponsored Dark Night starting at 6:30 p.m. (sunset) Saturday, Oct. 17 at Spirio Soccer Field in Overlook Park in white Rock.
Weather permitting, the public is invited to come out, wander among the telescopes, and star gaze. A crescent moon and the planets Saturn, Neptune and Uranus may be visible.
There will be a tour of the summer and fall constellations, and there will be telescope views of double stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Viewing will end before Read More