On Tuesday February 16 the Mid Hudson Astronomical Association will host a program highlighting the relationship between metorology and astronomy. The presenter will be Kathryn Whittaker. The presentation will occur at 8 p.m., immediately following the regularly scheduled 7:30 meeting of the MHAA.
Ms. Whitaker, Earth Science teacher at Red Hook Senior High School, will discuss using our environment to make weather predictions that can help determine viewing conditions for astronomical events. She will discuss everything from dew and frost to constellations and sunspots.
As a NY State recognized Master Teacher, she will also discuss what it is like teaching Earth Science and Astronomy both remotely and in the hybrid classroom schedule model and will provide examples of some of her teaching strategies.
Ms. Whittaker graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology, cum laude, from the State University of New York College at Oneonta in December of 2003. In May of 2002, Ms. Whittaker was chosen to receive the Robert W. Caputo Award for academic excellence in meteorology and contributions to the meteorology department. She interned as a meteorologist at WKTV in Utica, New York during the summer of 2002 and in the summer of 2003 at WBNG- TV in Binghamton, New York.  
 After graduating from the State University of SUNY Oneonta, Ms. Whittaker spent two months as the leave replacement weather producer for WKTV in Utica, New York. In December of 2004, she was hired as a junior meteorologist at a private weather forecasting company located in the Hudson Valley region of New York. While working at the forecasting company, Ms. Whittaker was responsible for developing writtenorecasts, giving phone consultations to clients, recording forecasts for weather phones and radio stations, activating the company’s severe weather alert system, assisting with marine forecasting when necessary and writing occasional weather analyses for civil court cases. 

Whittaker is also a graduate of Pace University in Pleasantville, NY where she completed a Masters of Science degree in teaching with a focus in adolescent Earth Science. She is currently an earth science, meteorology, and astronomy teacher at Red Hook High School located in Red Hook, New York and is a New York State Master Teacher. This is her thirteenth year of teaching Earth Science and she continues to write past weather reports and develop forecasts on a regular basis. 
To attend the online event go to midhudsonastro.org and register “ATTEND” at their MeetUp site. Registrants will be given the Zoom link and will have the opportunity to ask questions or make comments.
Registrants can attend both the meeting and presentation if they wish. The program will also be presented for viewing only at the MHAA Facebook site.
The presentations are free of charge.
For further info call or text Alexandra Passas at 631- 553-1144 or Tim Denman at 845-245-5483.