BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Sydney BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20250930T193000 RDATE:20251005T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20260405T020000 RDATE:20261004T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20270404T020000 RDATE:20271003T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20280402T020000 RDATE:20281001T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20251005T030000 RDATE:20260405T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20261004T030000 RDATE:20270404T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20271003T030000 RDATE:20280402T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20281001T030000 RDATE:20290401T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:bf55c156cb676c897ed653b0260f3b08 CATEGORIES:Guest Speaker Night CREATED:20260327T171449 SUMMARY:Guest Speaker - Prof Fred Watson - Macquarie University LOCATION:of Event: Green Point Observatory DESCRIPTION:Artemis and beyond – humankind’s future on the MoonWe are currently in a ti me of unprecedented access to space, with mind-blowing satellite constellat ions, a score of interplanetary probes and two continuously crewed space st ations. Yet in this flurry of activity there are intriguing echoes of a lon g-gone era. Six decades ago, the Apollo project enthralled the world – toda y we are witnessing a new venture with ambitions that could hardly be more different from Apollo’s flags and footprints. Artemis aims to achieve nothi ng less than a permanent human presence on the Moon. Join Fred Watson as he unpicks the past, present and future of lunar exploration in this entertai ning and copiously illustrated talk.\nProfessor Fred WatsonFred Watson AM i s an honorary professor of astronomy advocacy and engagement at Macquarie U niversity. From 2018 to 2024, he was the Australian Government’s first Astr onomer-at-Large, having served for the previous 20 years as the Astronomer- in-Charge of the Australian Astronomical Observatory and before that workin g at Britain’s two Royal Observatories. He led several projects in advanced astronomical instrumentation and spectroscopic surveys and today is involv ed in both the history and future of Australian astronomy. He is perhaps be st known in Australia for his award-winning radio and TV broadcasts, books, music and dark-sky advocacy – and internationally for the Space Nuts podca st. Fred has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says that i f it hits the Earth, it won't be his fault.\n X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Artemis and beyond – humankind’s future on the Moon

We are curre ntly in a time of unprecedented access to space, with mind-blowing satellit e constellations, a score of interplanetary probes and two continuously cre wed space stations. Yet in this flurry of activity there are intriguing ech oes of a long-gone era. Six decades ago, the Apollo project enthralled the world – today we are witnessing a new venture with ambitions that could har dly be more different from Apollo’s flags and footprints. Artemis aims to a chieve nothing less than a permanent human presence on the Moon. Join Fred Watson as he unpicks the past, present and future of lunar exploration in t his entertaining and copiously illustrated talk.

Fred Watson photo

Profe ssor Fred Watson

Fred Watson AM is an honorary prof essor of astronomy advocacy and engagement at Macquarie University. From 20 18 to 2024, he was the Australian Government’s first Astronomer-at-Large, h aving served for the previous 20 years as the Astronomer-in-Charge of the A ustralian Astronomical Observatory and before that working at Britain’s two Royal Observatories. He led several projects in advanced astronomical inst rumentation and spectroscopic surveys and today is involved in both the his tory and future of Australian astronomy. He is perhaps best known in Austra lia for his award-winning radio and TV broadcasts, books, music and dark-sk y advocacy – and internationally for the Space Nuts podcast. Fred has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says that if it hits the Earth, it won't be his fault.

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