Listed below are my upcoming events, public appearances and book signings, as well as virtual (online streaming) events.
This webpage is updated as new events are added, so please check back periodically.
Note that for 2024 I will be doing a small number of events due to my workload, as discussed in my “Happy New Year – 2024” blog entry.
If you have questions about—or problems with—obtaining tickets for an event, please contact the listed host organization of the event first. All ticket sales are handled by event organizers and their ticket brokers.
I look forward to seeing you,
-Diana
November, 2024
Saturday, November 16, 2024 – FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA
Diana Gabaldon will be a special guest speaker at the grand opening of the new Astronomy Discovery Center at Lowell Observatory. Other speakers will include Nicole Stott, NASA Space Shuttle Astronaut and Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto!
A family-friendly, educational event that is also fun!
Image at right: Kevin Schindler, Historian for Lowell Observatory and Diana.
Paid tickets required for entry, purchased in advance or at the door. See below.
Venue and Host:
Lowell Observatory
1400 West Mars Hill Road
Flagstaff, Arizona
Phone: 928 774-3358
Email: info@lowell.edu
Website: https://lowell.edu
Click on this link to download a handy PDF file (in a new browser window) with the details of and schedule for this event: 2024-11-16-Lowell-Schedule.
Come and celebrate the grand opening of the Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center (aka ‘ADC’) at historic Lowell Observatory with Diana!
Witness the historic ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Astronomy Discovery Center, and be among the first to experience the cutting-edge, 40,000-square-foot facility. There will be many fun activities for kids and adults, free previews, special celebrity guests, food and drinks, science demonstrations, telescope viewing, and more.
(So much is going on, it is a good idea to read through the entire schedule and activities below to help make your plans for the day.)
Keynote Celebrity Talks in the Great Planetary Hall:
Don’t miss these talks by three very prestigious speakers to celebrate the opening of the ADC:
3:00 p.m. – Nicole Stott, a retired NASA Space Shuttle Astronaut and engineer. Ms. Stott served as a flight engineer on Expeditions 20 and 21 to the International Space Station (ISS), and was a mission specialist on STS-128 and STS-133 shuttle missions. Come meet a real American astronaut and hero! Click on Nicole Stott’s image at right to view her bio on Wikipedia.
4:00 p.m. – Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator, NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond. Come and hear about the ten-year journey to Pluto, the fascinating dwarf planet and its moons, a history-making mission! New Horizons has also ventured further into the Kuiper Belt to investigate the icy bodies of the outer Solar System in its extended mission. Dr. Stern is the science leader of this historic mission! Click to read Dr. Stern’s biography on the Southwest Research Institute’s website.
5:00 p.m. – Diana Gabaldon, Ph.D., best-selling author of the OUTLANDER series of novels and television series. Diana’s great-grandfather, Stanley Sykes, designed, engineered and built the telescope at Lowell Observatory used to discover Pluto in 1930 (by Clyde Tombaugh). A third-generation native of Flagstaff, Diana has deep roots and family history in Northern Arizona.
Tickets:
Tickets for entry may be purchased in advance or at the door. Adult tickets range from $15 to $35 with discounts available for local citizens (with ID), members of the military, AAA, senior discounts, etc. Childrens’ tickets (ages 5 to 17) range from $10 to $20 each. Children who are 4 years old and younger are admitted for free. Click here to buy tickets in advance.
Full Schedule for Saturday, November 16:
Please check with the venue’s website or when you arrive for any changes or updates to the schedule below.
10:00 a.m. – Early check-in. There will be two separate lines: one for attendees with pre-purchased tickets, and a second for purchasing tickets at the door. (They ass that you please be sure to have your tickets open on your smart phone and ready to scan, if you are using the digital form.) Of course, you can arrive later if you choose to.
10:30 a.m – Ribbon cutting ceremony for the ADC with brass quartet begins with opening remarks from Observatory sole trustee Lowell Putnam, Flagstaff mayor Becky Daggett, and other public officials. Once the ceremony is complete, doors will open guests may begin exploring the exhibit halls of the ADC and participating in other scheduled activities.
11:00 a.m. – Doors open to the new Astronomy Discovery Center, and programming begins!
1:00 p.m. – Diverse Universe Wall Dedication with Writing Contest Winner Readings, on the Astronomy Discovery Center’s Second Floor
3:00 p.m. – Nicole Stott, a retired NASA Space Shuttle Astronaut and engineer.
4:00 p.m. – Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator, NASA New Horizons mission to Pluto. At right, an artist’s conception of New Horizons traveling through space.
5:00 p.m. – Diana Gabaldon, Ph.D., best-selling author of the OUTLANDER series of novels and television series.
What To See and Do – Continuous Drop-In Activities:
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Fun Activities and Booths for children and adults. Dark Sky Adaptation Plaza. Participants include:
Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition
CoconinoAstronomical Society
Hozhoni Foundation Arts and Crafts Table
Rondough’s Mini-Donuts
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. – Open House for the Pluto Dome, Clark Dome, and Rotunda Museum.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Beer Garden on the Rooftop Terrace
Solar Viewing and Stargazing:
11:00 a.m. to Dusk – Solar Viewing (View our Sun safely and in detail!)- Giovale Open Deck Observatory and Dark Sky Planetarium
Dusk to 10 p.m. – View Celestial Wonders in the Night Sky through Lowell telescopes – Giovale Open Deck Observatory
Special Shows and Tours:
1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. “In Focus: The Story of Pluto” will be shown in the Historic Pluto Dome
1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. “In Focus: Origins of Lowell Observatory” will be shown in the Historic Pluto Dome
4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. “Imagine the Universe” Live Show times in the Lowell Universe Theater. Separate tickets required for each person at these shows.
8 p.m. and 9 p.m. – Rooftop Stargazing Tour – Dark Sky Planetarium.
Note that the new Astronomy Discovery Center will be open from now on, in case you cannot come on November 16! Happy stargazing and planet watching!
Sorry for the late notice, but the venue was slow to post or confirm the details.
- Diana’s Webmistress
December, 2024
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
January, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
General Information – Appearances
Please keep the following in mind:
- If tickets are required for an event, they may be free or require a fee which goes to the hosting organization or sponsor. Tickets for ALL events featuring Diana usually sell out very quickly once they become available.
- PLEASE CHECK WITH THE HOSTING ORGANIZATION OR SPONSOR of an appearance or event OFTEN for the latest information, ticketing, venue changes, policies and updates. This list is provided as a convenience and my webmistress works hard to keep it current, but it may not always be perfectly up-to-date.
- If you have questions about an appearance or need more details, please contact the host organization or sponsor listed. They have all the answers. Thanks!
- Diana is always happy to sign and personalize your books at book signing events as time allows. However, note that some events and venues may require a book purchase or have a limit on how many books you can bring from home for signing. Please check with the event host or sponsor if details are not listed on this webpage.
If you know of an event that Diana has confirmed she will attend that is not listed on this webpage, please let Diana’s Webmistress know.
This page was last updated on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 2:05 a.m. (Central Time) by Diana Gabaldon or Diana’s Webmistress.