Great Falls Observes the International Year of Astronomy in 2009.

Here is the 2009 schedule for talks being sponsored by the Analemma Society, Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax County Libraries, and the Friends of the Great Falls Library.

March 19-Edward Murphy, University of Virginia Associate Professor,
"Where Does Gold Come From? The Astronomical Origin of the Elements"

May 21-Philip Ianna, University of Virginia Professor Emeritus
"Astronomy where the skies are not cloudy (or bright) all night"

September 17-Michael Summers, George Mason University,
"Astrobiology" - The possibility of life on Mars now or at some time in its remote past is a very captivating idea. Recent results suggest that life on Mars now may not be a dead issue. But habitability in the solar system may extend far beyond the orbit of Mars. For instance, a large liquid water ocean lies just underneath an icy crust on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. Organic materials are have been found spewing from geysers on Enceladus, one of the small moons of Saturn. Furthermore, we are now beginning to realize that the history of the entire solar system is intimately tied to the origin and evolution of life on Earth. Astrobiology – the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe – thus provides a natural framework for a synthesis of what we are learning in planetary exploration. Astrobiology is an extremely exciting field of research – exciting not just for scientists, but for educators as well, as it ties together all of the natural sciences in an attempt to understand the story of life in the universe.

November 19- Harold Geller, George Mason University,
"Radio Astronomy. More Than Meets the Eye"

The talks will be held at the Great Falls LIbrary and will begin at 7:00pm..

Astronomical Events Calendar 2009

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