Presenter
Creon Levit, Planet Labs
2022 - present: Science lead of the artificial intelligence R&D team at Planet Labs. 2015 - present: Chief Technologist and Director of spacecraft R&D at Planet Labs. Satellite design, instrument design, optical design, algorithm development, signal processing, and systems engineering. 1999-2001 Director of Research at the International Space Sciences Organization. Ran both the theoretical and experimental research teams, focusing on exotic propulsion and exotic physics including several multi-million dollar subcontracts and international collaborations. 2011-2013 Special assistant to NASA Ames center director Dr. S. Pete Worden (Brig. Gen. USAF, ret.). 1982 - 2015 Research scientist and R&D team lead at NASA (Ames research Center) Specialties: aerospace engineering, optics, computational physics, molecular quantum mechanics, nanotechnology, parallel computing, numerical algorithms, scientific visualization, data science, information theory, molecular biology, space mission design, high-power RF, beamed energy, heretical science.
Summary:
This talk is about solar eclipses: their history, their impact on culture, and their impact on science. We will discuss some relevant celestial mechanics: why eclipses happen when they happen, where they happen, and how they are predicted. We will review some historically notable total solar eclipses, including the longest for about 3000 years which Creon saw in Africa as a young boy. We will preview a few upcoming eclipses and discuss other eclipse types and eclipses on other planets.
Creon has seen nine total solar eclipses. So far.
