Image Courtesy PEEC
PEEC NEWS RELEASE
Explore the frontier where the solar system meets the galaxy at the Los Alamos Nature Center during Exploring the Interstellar Boundary with NASA’s New IMAP Mission, 7-8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21.
The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), launched in September 2025, is studying the heliosphere, a protective bubble carved out by the solar wind that shields Earth from galactic cosmic radiation. At the edge of this bubble lies the interstellar boundary, where the solar system ends and the galaxy begins. This mission will help scientists better understand how this distant region safeguards life on our planet.
Dr. Dan Reisenfeld, Deputy Instrument Lead for the IMAP-Hi instrument built by Los Alamos National Laboratory, will guide participants through the science behind IMAP. He will explain how the instruments “see” this far-off boundary, what scientists hope to discover, and what it’s like during the first days of a brand-new NASA mission.
Admission is $8/adult, $6/child, $20/family. Please note, planetarium events are generally not recommended for children under 5.
About the Presenter
Dan Reisenfeld has been building space instrumentation for NASA missions since 1998, after earning his PhD in Astronomy from Harvard. With experience at both Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Montana, he returned to Los Alamos in 2018 to work on IMAP, advancing our understanding of the solar system’s outer boundary.
About PEEC
For more information, visit PEEC’s website at peecnature.org/events. Stay connected on social media for updates on each week’s activities.
PEEC was founded in 2000 to serve the community of Los Alamos. It offers people of all ages a way to enrich their lives by strengthening their connections to our canyons, mesas, mountains, and skies. PEEC operates the Los Alamos Nature Center at 2600 Canyon Road, holds regular programs and events, and hosts several interest groups, from birding to hiking to butterfly watching. PEEC activities are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and gift shop merchandise. Annual memberships start at $35. To learn more, visit peecnature.org/support/membership/.