SHEFFIELD, Mass. — James Lowenthal, a professor at Mary Elizabeth Moses and the Chair of Astronomy at Smith College, will speak at the July Berkshire Green Drinks event on Wednesday, July 10. 

 

This free hybrid event will take place online via Zoom and in person at Big Elm Brewing's Sheffield Taproom, 65 Silver Street, Sheffield. The in-person social gathering will begin around 5:15 PM; the presentation and Zoom meeting will start at 6:00 PM. 

 

Lowenthal will lead attendees on a virtual tour of the night—how the natural world comes alive, how humans and other diurnal creatures need darkness to thrive, how artificial light at night upsets ecosystems, and how the growing international Dark Sky movement is working to rein in light pollution and protect and bring back natural darkness at night, according to a press release.

 

Learn more and RSVP at:  tinyurl.com/July2024-Berks-Green-Drinks

 

James Lowenthal, Mary Elizabeth Moses Professor and Chair of Astronomy at Smith College, uses large telescopes in space and on the ground to study the formation of galaxies in the early Universe and also uses Smith’s rooftop telescope with a team of students to study exoplanets orbiting stars in our Milky Way galaxy. He works locally, nationally, and internationally to protect the night sky from light pollution and satellite constellations.

 

Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering on the second Wednesday of the month that is free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. A guest speaker talks about an environmentally related topic for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM; the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A.

 

Berkshire Green Drinks is sponsored and organized by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT).