UW Department of Astronomy e-News

Astronomy Home Page | IYA 2009 | Make a Gift

Autumn 2009

From the Chair
With the start of the new academic year came new classes, new students, a new cohort for the Pre-MAP program, the rain and the start of our annual fund-raising drive. Among other things, we use the contributions we receive to support public talks, our open house, public outreach efforts through our on-campus planetarium and Theodor Jacobsen Observatory, and our Manastash Ridge Observatory near Ellensburg, used primarily for undergraduate student research and teaching. We also put your donations to good use by sending our undergraduate and graduate students to meetings to present their latest research results. If you would be interested in supporting these and other Astronomy department activities you can do so here

To find more highlights from the department read on...

Department of Astronomy Events

The hunt for life

Life and the Universe
As part of the Astrobiology program and the International Year of Astronomy we are presenting a series of public talks that celebrate the lives of Galileo and Darwin. Research today into the origin and evolution of life and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life has been made possible by these giants of science. Our series of talks, presented by international leaders in the field, will discuss the impact of Darwin and Galileo, addressing fundamental questions about the phenomenon of life in a cosmic context. For more about the program or to request tickets read on... .

From the Depths of Space

Space Telescope

A New Pair of Eyes for Hubble
On May 14 2009, after wrestling with a stuck bolt, the astronauts replaced a venerable camera WFPC2 on the Hubble Space telescope with a far more sensitive and versatile camera, Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). Professor Bruce Balick served on the scientific team that oversaw the design and testing of the new camera. Eleven years and thirty flights to Baltimore had finally ended. By July the critical calibrations were complete, and by the first week of August Bruce was using the camera for science More...

Student News

A comet (hopefully) passing by

The Threat from Comets
Comets and asteroids impacting the Earth and causing catastrophic changes in our atmosphere and oceans have often been put forth as candidates for major extinction events (mass extinctions) that we find in the fossil record. The most famous of these was 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs and half of all other species were wiped out within a very short period; in this case, there is excellent evidence that a 10-km-diameter asteroid was to blame. Graduate student Nate Kaib has been working on calculating the odds for comets impacting the Earth and whether other mass extinctions might be due to comets. To find out how carefully you should be studying the skies read on..

Upcoming Events

Steve Benner: The Origin of Life, the Universe and the Scientific Method
Tuesday, October, 20th, 7.30pm; Room 120, Kane Hall

Keith Benson: Charles Darwin and the Evolution Theory
Tuesday, October, 27th, 7.30pm; Room 120, Kane Hall

Chris McKay: Searching for Life
Tuesday, November, 3rd, 7.30pm; Room 120, Kane Hall

Table of contents

Department of Astronomy Events
From the Depths of Space
Student News
Upcoming Events

Featured Links