Astronomers Flock to Seattle for Big Space Conference

[Joanne98]

Source: Space.com

Thousands of astronomers are headed to chilly, cloudy Seattle for their annual winter meeting of all things space and science.

The 217th meeting of the American Astronomical Society runs from Sunday (Jan. 9) through Jan. 13. Approximately 2,500 scientists are expected to assemble for the cosmic five-day conference to discuss more than 1,800 of the latest discoveries of black holes, alien planets, near-Earth asteroids and more. The conference returns to Seattle every fourth winter for the meeting.

About 80 science journalists are also expected to attend the meeting, according to AAS press officer Rick Fienberg.

"There are always lots of fascinating discoveries being unveiled at our meetings -- that's why we attract so many reporters and so much media coverage," Fienberg told SPACE.com in an email interview.



Read more: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/aas217-astronomers-meeting-seattle-110108.html

[eridani]

1. The Seattle Astronomical Society slogal

"We promise you the sun and the moon and the stars--and we deliver!" Of course that often involves a lot os side trips to Yakima---