Coconino Astronomical Society: (Mother) Road to the Stars – The Space Heritage of Rte 66

Route 66 is one of the most storied roadways in North America, known for its roadside diners, historic hotels and kitschy attractions. But it also boasts an extraordinary space heritage; along its course lies the birthplaces of space pioneers, centers of planetary exploration and discovery, training grounds for Moon-bound astronauts, the best-preserved asteroid impact site in the world, and museums celebrating these cosmic connections. In honor of the upcoming centennial of Route 66, Kevin Schindler will lead a virtual trip from Chicago to Los Angeles along the Mother Road and explore this space heritage.

Presented by Kevin Shindler – Lowell Historian

Kevin Schindler is the historian and public information officer at Lowell Observatory – where he has worked for 30 years – and an active member of the Flagstaff history and science communities. He has authored eight books and contributes a bi-weekly astronomy column, “View from Mars Hill”, for the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper. In May 2023, he served as Astronomer in Residence at the Grand Canyon.

Fun fact: Kevin has both a fossil crab and asteroid named after him.