Copyright Santa Clarita Valley Signal
News release College of the Canyons is scheduled to host its Fall 2025 Star Party on Friday, featuring a keynote presentation by Athina Peidou, a geodesist and GRACE-FO Project Staff Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Peidou will present “Monitoring the Global Water Cycle with GRACE-FO Missions,” sharing insights from NASA’s mission that tracks the movement of water across the planet, including changes in underground water storage, soil moisture, glaciers, ice sheets and sea level. “The Star Party is a wonderful way for our students, families and community to come together and share the joy of discovery,” Paul Wickline, associate vice president at the Canyon Country campus, said in a COC news release. “We are proud to host events that spark curiosity and connect people of all ages to the wonders of science.” The GRACE-FO mission builds on the legacy of the original GRACE mission, which launched on March 17, 2002, and operated until October 2017. The twin satellites measured variations in Earth’s gravity field, providing critical data on mass distribution changes over time. This information has helped scientists study the hydrosphere, oceans and geology of Earth. Using a microwave ranging system and advanced laser technology, the satellites measure the distance between each other with remarkable precision, enabling detailed mapping of Earth’s gravitational field. Peidou will explain the science and technology behind these missions and discuss how this groundbreaking research helps scientists understand our planet’s changing climate. In addition to the keynote, attendees can explore the night sky through telescopes with guidance from the Local Group Astronomy Club of Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley Astronomy Club. The evening will also feature science updates from COC faculty and students, including the COC Aerospace and Sciences Team, along with interactive activity tables, demonstrations and an indoor portable planetarium. The Star Party is part of COC’s Science Talks series and will run from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the lower plaza adjacent to the Takeda Science Center on the Canyon Country campus. A food truck will be on site, offering meals for purchase. This free event is open to the public.
