Thanks to a new camera system, Shasta College is becoming part of network that will watch for and study meteorites and other objects that fall in the night sky.
The “all-sky” camera system was developed at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM, which contracted with New Mexico State University to build 40 of the systems. They’re being distributed to colleges around the country. Shasta College officials said the school received one because of the work of astronomy instructor Joe Polen.
The camera records meteorites, falling “space junk” and other night-sky phenomenon. Software allows the user to compare the objects to known meteor showers.
- Another kind of stars: At 11 a.m. Saturday, performers from Redding School for the Arts will do musical numbers from the show “Narnia” at Barnes & Noble in Redding. The performance promotes the school’s full performances of the musical on Feb. 6 and 7 at the Shasta Learning Center auditorium. Those tickets ($5 and $7) are on sale at Bernie’s Guitar and at the Redding School for the Arts office at 2200 Eureka Way. “Narnia” is a musical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”
- The Redding Police Department has its stars, too, and three recently were promoted. Sgt. Eric Wallace was promoted to lieutenant, Cpl. Jeff Wallace was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and Officer Aaron Maready was promoted to corporal.
- Space Junk would be a good name for a rock band.
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