Public Appearance - CCSC March 13, 2008
Posted on March 10th, 2008 by blue collar scientistIn a few days, I’ll be at the Campbell Creek Science Center to talk about exoplanets - planets orbiting stars other than our sun. The talk is at 7:00 PM on March 13.
I’ll be covering several topics:
- how they are detectable - this will involve my semi-famous “swinging of the ball” demonstration, which has inspired awe (and fear) in audiences all over the country
- why we’ve found a lot of big, short-period planets, and not as many smaller or long period ones
- how we find them - what kind of telescopes and instruments are used
- who is finding them - including some amateur astronomers who have made these discoveries
- how they form - complete with really cool movies of computer simulations
- why there is almost certainly life somewhere other than Earth
There will also be some discussion of an upcoming meeting of science geeks, skeptics, Pharyngula fans, and high-profile Alaska science bloggers. You can pick up an invitation at the event. So come on out and join us!
March 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I would come out, brother, but the 13th is my wife’s birthday! I think we’re going to see a movie around that time.
At any rate, shoot me an email with the science meeting info. I will advertise it on my blog and my wife can advertise it at APU (she’s a professor there). I look forward to it!
March 13th, 2008 at 7:02 am
[...] Just a friendly reminder that you can hear my talk about exoplanets - planets in orbit around other stars - tonight (Thursday, March 13) at the Campbell Creek Science Center in Anchorage. Check here for details. [...]
March 14th, 2008 at 8:03 am
[...] a lot more people than I anticipated. Which would be really cool. I expect the promotion conducted at my talk on exoplanets will get a few people out to join us as [...]