Astronomer to talk about eclipse at Will Rogers
SARANAC LAKE — On Thursday, April 4, at 2 p.m. Saranac Village at Will Rogers will present David Craig, who will give a talk on the upcoming total solar eclipse (April 8), what to expect and how to safely view and enjoy it. He is a retired engineer who spent 38 years with MIT Lincoln Laboratory, 18 of which were telecommuting from Keene.
Craig developed electronics in support of advanced imaging devices being fabricated at the laboratory. Software, firmware and hardware (electronics circuits) had to be developed to generate the necessary timing signals and to process the results from these devices, and he was one of those engineers who took on the task.
Craig is an avid amateur astronomer who traveled to the 2017 total solar eclipse. He and other local astronomers offer “impromptu stargazing.” These public observing sessions are offered along with other amateur astronomers in the town of Keene on short notice when observing conditions are good. With a goal of raising awareness of light pollution in the Adirondacks, he started a website and has been presenting photos and stories from these sessions at neophyteastronomer.org.
An amateur radio operator, electronics tinkerer and hobbyist, Craig has been hacking around with electronics since boyhood. He was a regular attendee at the Will Rogers Chess Knights Club before the pandemic. This program is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served. For more information, call 518-891-7117.