VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Denver Zoo|The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., needs volunteers to assist with special events, to assist zookeepers and to work in the zoo’s membership, education and administration departments. For information, visit www.denverzoo.org or call 303-376-4894.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science|The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., needs volunteers to work with visitors in the museum’s diorama halls, galleries and activity areas. Also needed are volunteers to be guides, interpreters, collections assistants and classroom prep assistants. For information, call 303-370-6419.
TWICE WEEKLY
Telescope viewing|Chamberlin Observatory, 2930 E. Warren Ave., University of Denver campus, has astronomy presentations and allows use of the 20-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. For information, visit www.thedas.org or call 303-871-5172 for reservations.
TODAY
Denver Field Ornithologists event|DFO leader Randy Lentz will lead a bird-watching excursion in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Meet at 8 a.m. at the park’s Visitors Center. Take Colorado 93 north from Golden 1 mile to Golden Gate Canyon Road. Turn left and continue for 13 miles to the park. A daily state parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park. Take water and a lunch. For information, call 303-680-3381.
MONDAY
Archaeology talk|Denver University professor Sarah Nelson will give a free lecture, “Fiction of Archaeology and Archaeology of Fiction,” at 7 p.m. in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Ricketson Auditorium, 2001 Colorado Blvd. For information, call 303-988-5549.
TUESDAY
Kids science program|”Ooey Gooey Science,” a free program for children ages 8-12, will be at 4:15 p.m. at the Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock. To register, call 303-688-7700.
Astronomy talk|Robert Stencel, director of the Mount Evans Observatory, will give a free talk, “Perseid Meteor Shower – What to Expect,” at 3 p.m. at the Echo Lake Lodge restaurant, near Idaho Springs at the junction of Colorado 5 and 103. For directions and information, call 303-567-2138.
THURSDAY
Mars Society conference|The eighth annual Mars Society conference will be at the University of Colorado in Boulder, at Folsom Field, Club House Level, Thursday through Sunday. Speakers include Robert Zubrin, author of “The Case for Mars”; William Farrand of the Mars Rovers Pan Cam Team; former astronaut Scott Horowitz; astrobiologists Chris Mc Kay and Bill Clancey of NASA Ames Research Center; Peter Diamandis of the K-Prize Foundation; Chris Shank, special assistant to NASA Administrator Michael Griffin; Peter Smith of the Phoenix mission to Mars’ north polar region; and Penny Boston, a specialist in cave-dwelling extremophiles. To register, visit www.marssociety.org. Walk-in registration will be available at the event.
FRIDAY
Stargazing event|Naturalist Steve Ipsen and amateur astronomer Jack Steinhauser are hosting a stargazing/Perseid meteor shower viewing event in Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Colorado 83, Franktown. Meet at 8:30 p.m. at the Canyon Point parking lot. Bring a jacket. For reservations, call 303-688-5242.
SATURDAY
Astronomy and digital cameras |Steve Solon of the Denver Astronomical Society will give a free class, “Digital Camera Astronomy,” at 1 p.m. at the University of Denver’s Olin Hall, room 105, 2112 E. Iliff Ave. To register, call 303-932-7613.
Volunteer weeding day|Ranger Mitch Martin and volunteer naturalist Linda Pohle will discuss noxious-weed identification and will help volunteers remove noxious weeds in Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Colorado 83, Franktown. Meet at 9 a.m. at the park’s Visitors Center. To register, call 303-688-5242.
Denver Botanic Gardens free day|Admission to the Denver Botanic Gardens, 1005 York St., will be free to Colorado residents from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For information, call 720-895-3500.
Denver Field Ornithologists event|DFO leader Mike Foster will lead a bird-watching excursion at 7:15 a.m. in Belmar Park. For directions and information, call 303-456-2647.
AUG. 14
Denver Field Ornithologists field trip|DFO leader Jackie King will lead a bird-watching excursion in Parker Regional Park. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot. From intersection of Mainstreet and Colorado 83 in Parker, go south 1.2 miles. Turn right onto Indian Pipe Lane into the parking area. Take a lunch and water. For information, call 303-287-1644.
Junior Ranger program|Jefferson County open space rangers and naturalists at the Pine Valley Ranch Depot are offering a free two-hour program for kids ages 4-12 who want to become open space junior rangers. The program is also ideal for Scouts working on their naturalist, forestry or other outdoor skill badges. To register and for directions, call Lookout Mountain Nature Center at 303-526-0594.
To publicize upcoming events geared toward and open to the public, please mail complete details at least two weeks in advance to Scientifically Speaking, The Denver Post, City Desk, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202, or e-mail to Scispeak@denverpost.com.
