2011 DucKon Science Fiction Convention

Duckon 2011 Opening Ceremonies Guests of Honor
DucKon 2011 Opening Ceremonies Guests of Honor

Yesterday morning I arrived at the DucKon Science Fiction Convention in Schaumburg to set up for the art show. Because of everything else that is going on just now, I did not decide until the last minute to participate in the convention's art show. I had committed months ago to participating in the con's programming but held off on deciding about the art show.

I did not bring very many pieces to hang in the art show. The pieces that I did bring for the show are:

Looking over the list I'm pleased to say that 4 out of the 5 are actually on my web site. Typically fewer than half are.

This morning (Saturday) I'll be heading back to the convention. This will be my busy day as my presentation and all my panels are scheduled for today. My line up is:

It Started With The Hubble: A 20 Year Retrospective Of The Manned Space Program
A panel discussion overview of the past twenty years of the shuttle program, from the Hubble Space Telescope to the International Space Station.
For my part, I do hope to actually talk a little about the Hubble Space Telescope, which presents us with two very different categories of impacts. The first is the impact Hubble observations have had on our understanding of the universe. These impacts include a much more accurate measure of the Hubble Constant – which tells us about the age of the universe; the presence of super-massive black holes at the centers of galaxies; and the strange matter of dark energy and the accelerated expansion of the universe. The second area is the area of astronomical art aesthetics and the impact that Hubble's observations have had on how astronomical art is portrayed.
Space 2031
In twenty years will there be a Chinese base on the moon? Will American astronauts be buzzing near-earth asteroids? Just where, in space, will we be in twenty years. This panel discussion will explore what our future in space may be.
Audio Interactive Art: Science as Art
My talk's title is actually Live Art and combines a presentation about the tools of new media art with a dash of computer art history followed by audience participation in the creation of several works of digital art through the use of sound. More about this and some of my other presentations can be found on my Art Lectures page.
Privateers In Space!
With NASA's attempts switch to private companies to provide launch services, Virgin Galactic's sub-orbital flights, and Google's Lunar X Prize, start-up companies are jumping at the chance to get into space. Where will this lead us over the next 20 years?

So today promises to be a busy day at DucKon. FYI, DucKon's Guests of Honor this year are:

  • Literary:Tamora PierceWebsite
  • Artist:Ursula VernonWebsite
  • Filk:Gary HanakWebsite
  • Filk Fund Guests:Nate and Louie Bucklin
  • Fan:William and Trudi Puda
  • Writer:Shirley DamsgaardWebsite
  • Science:”The Last Shuttle Team”Website

If you're attending the con, don't forget to check out the art show.

| Return to the Blog Index | This entry was posted on Saturday, June 18th, 2011 at 8:00 am and is filed under Art Shows, Presentations, SF Cons.