Seeking the Habitable Zone: the Discovery and Detailed Study of Planets around Other Stars

Science has made enormous contributions, not only to human welfare and quality of life, but also our self-understanding as a species.  We will celebrate science and scientists on our annual Darwin Day Celebration.  Following introductory remarks by Rev Sammons, Dr. Jeff Van Cleve will discuss his work at NASA Ames

The possibility of planets orbiting stars other than our own sun -- or exoplanets -- has fired the imagination of scientists and philosophers since at least the time of Giordano Bruno around the year 1600.  The first exoplanets, discovered in the mid-1990's, tended to be both much larger and much hotter than the Earth, and little else was known about them.  As observations and analysis improved, smaller and cooler planets became visible, and we are now able to ask questions about exoplanet structure and composition.    As part of this overall exoplanet story, Jeff will tell us how roughly 2000 planets orbiting other stars have been discovered by observing the shadows they cast when they transit across the face of their parent star.  These observations, and others planned for future studies, help us understand the habitability of these worlds, and appreciate the habitability of our own Earth and efforts to preserve it.

Jeff is an astronomer & physicist with experience on 5 NASA flight programs. He works at NASA Ames Research Center on the flying observatory SOFIA.  His  engineering interests are astronomical and remote-sensing telescopes and instruments, while his science interests are the Solar System and exoplanets. 

We will have our traditional Darwin Day luncheon for purchase after church service and Jeff's lecture (free) will begin around 12:45.  Everyone is welcome for either the luncheon, lecture or both.

Sponsored by the UU Humanists & Non-theists Committee