“Planets, Planets Everywhere!” will be the subject of the Monday, July 20 summer open house night in astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.
From 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building, Darren Williams, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will present a nontechnical lecture about the 300-plus planets known to orbit nearby stars.
“The number (of known planets) continues to grow with the assistance of new telescopes and state-of-the-art observing techniques,” Williams said. “I’ll discuss the properties of the new planets, and which of the planet systems is most like our own.”
Astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory will follow the lecture, weather permitting. The evening’s events are free and open to the public.
Open house nights in astronomy are a public outreach program of the School of Science at Penn State Behrend. They are suitable for children ages 8 and older. For additional information, contact the school at (814) 898-6105.