Weighing the Water: How a Pair of Satellites are Safeguarding Our Most Precious Resource
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Water sustains our farms, rivers, communities, and the natural landscapes we work to protect. But much of the water that makes life possible in Nebraska and across the Great Plains lies hidden underground, invisible to the eye and, until recently, largely beyond our ability to monitor.
That changed in 2002, when NASA and Germany launched a remarkable pair of satellites called GRACE — the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment. Flying 220 kilometers apart in a precise orbital formation, these twin spacecraft do something no satellite had done before: they weigh the water. By measuring minuscule changes in Earth's gravitational pull, they can detect where water is accumulating and where it is being lost — from the Ogallala Aquifer beneath the Great Plains, to the ice sheets of Greenland, to drought-stricken river basins on every continent.
In this presentation we'll explore how the GRACE missions work, what they have revealed about our planet's changing water cycle over more than two decades of observation, and why their findings matter urgently for water conservation, agricultural sustainability, and the decisions communities like ours will face in the years ahead. The story that emerges from orbit is one of both scientific ingenuity and sobering reality — and it begins right beneath our feet.
Professor Michael Sibbernsen is an award-winning astronomy educator, science communicator, and internationally recognized public speaker with more than three decades of experience bringing the wonders of the universe to audiences around the world. He is the Co-Founder and Director of Higher Education at Branched Oak Observatory in Nebraska, serves on the Board of Directors for the Nebraska Star Party, and is a HAB (High Altitude Balloon) Launch Technologist with the aerospace company, StratoStar.
A former Lecturer of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Professor Sibbernsen has received numerous teaching awards and has delivered thousands of presentations for universities, observatories, science centers, community organizations, and special-interest audiences. He has also served as an Enrichment Lecturer within the cruise line industry, presenting acclaimed programs on Astronomy and Maritime Navigation for travelers across the globe.
Combining scientific expertise, historical perspective, and a talent for storytelling, Professor Sibbernsen transforms complex concepts into engaging experiences that connect audiences with the beauty, scale, and mystery of the cosmos. His presentations inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and reveal humanity’s enduring connection to the universe we explore.
After the lecture stay for the public star viewing, telescopes provided.
Let us know if you plan to attend in person here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/pZt_jyKZfUGUzLxNWFQoDg2
Can't join in-person? No problem! Here is the link to join online:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_txhoAVveSpaPxFgPKRO9tg
That changed in 2002, when NASA and Germany launched a remarkable pair of satellites called GRACE — the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment. Flying 220 kilometers apart in a precise orbital formation, these twin spacecraft do something no satellite had done before: they weigh the water. By measuring minuscule changes in Earth's gravitational pull, they can detect where water is accumulating and where it is being lost — from the Ogallala Aquifer beneath the Great Plains, to the ice sheets of Greenland, to drought-stricken river basins on every continent.
In this presentation we'll explore how the GRACE missions work, what they have revealed about our planet's changing water cycle over more than two decades of observation, and why their findings matter urgently for water conservation, agricultural sustainability, and the decisions communities like ours will face in the years ahead. The story that emerges from orbit is one of both scientific ingenuity and sobering reality — and it begins right beneath our feet.
Professor Michael Sibbernsen is an award-winning astronomy educator, science communicator, and internationally recognized public speaker with more than three decades of experience bringing the wonders of the universe to audiences around the world. He is the Co-Founder and Director of Higher Education at Branched Oak Observatory in Nebraska, serves on the Board of Directors for the Nebraska Star Party, and is a HAB (High Altitude Balloon) Launch Technologist with the aerospace company, StratoStar.
A former Lecturer of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Professor Sibbernsen has received numerous teaching awards and has delivered thousands of presentations for universities, observatories, science centers, community organizations, and special-interest audiences. He has also served as an Enrichment Lecturer within the cruise line industry, presenting acclaimed programs on Astronomy and Maritime Navigation for travelers across the globe.
Combining scientific expertise, historical perspective, and a talent for storytelling, Professor Sibbernsen transforms complex concepts into engaging experiences that connect audiences with the beauty, scale, and mystery of the cosmos. His presentations inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and reveal humanity’s enduring connection to the universe we explore.
After the lecture stay for the public star viewing, telescopes provided.
Let us know if you plan to attend in person here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/pZt_jyKZfUGUzLxNWFQoDg2
Can't join in-person? No problem! Here is the link to join online:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_txhoAVveSpaPxFgPKRO9tg
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Where is it happening?
Branched Oak Observatory, 14300 NW 98th St, Raymond, NE 68428-4254, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherConservation Nebraska
