The Valpo Core

An astronomy presentation by Dr. Shawn Slavin, Purdue University Calumet

7:30 pm Friday, October 23, 2009

Neils Science Center – Room 224

8:30-9:30 pm Telescopic viewing at VU Observatory (if clear)

9:30-10:30 pm Remote telescopic viewing with the SARA telescope in Arizona

The desire to understand the nature and scale of the universe is as old as humankind.  With the understanding that the force of gravity drives the motion of and distribution of matter within galaxies, comes the notion that studying the motion of stars and gas in our Galaxy and others will allow us to understand their contents.  Fairly recent observations of the cold hydrogen in our Galactic disk, and similar observations of other spiral galaxies, have shown that the mass contained as luminous matter (stars, gas, etc.) may be as little as 5-10% of all the mass driving its evolution.  So, the vast majority of the mass in the Galaxy, and others like it, appears to be completely dark, such that we cannot observe it directly. We detect it only through the tracer motion of luminous mass, like stars.  In this talk, I will present a brief history of the dark matter problem, why we believe dark matter is very real and what might constitute the invisible elephant it represents in the small room of the Universe.

Flyer: IYA2009b_VU_5

VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY 2009

Understanding the Night Sky

A Public Lecture by Dr. David Bradstreet, Eastern University

A new age of planetarium education is dawning with the onset of exquisitely capable digital planetariums that increase the usefulness of these exciting facilities one hundred fold! This presentation will emphasize some of the new curriculum and fantastic capabilities that have been developed specifically for the Spitz SciDome digital planetarium. Astronomical concepts can be taught in new and exciting ways and topics presented that were almost impossible to get across to lay audiences in the past. A new planetarium age is upon us!

Neils Science Center – Room 224

7:30 pm Friday, October 2, 2009

8:30-9:30 pm -Telescope viewing at the VU Observatory (if it is clear; if not planetarium show in Neils)

SPONSORED BY: Valparaiso University Dept. of Physics & Astronomy and the Indiana Space Grant Consortium

The first Wordfest event of ‘09-’10 is just around the corner.  Join us to hear Michael Martone, fiction writer and essayist, read from his latest work.  Hoosier by birth and degree, Martone now teaches at the University of Alabama.  Come check out his moves.

“We are forced to live in our eyes, in the outposts of our consciousness, the borders of our being. Forget the heart. In the flatness, everywhere is surface.”

when: Mon the 28th, 7 p.m.

where: Brauer Museum of Art

what else: refreshments and book signing to follow

what else else: CORE 5th hour approved

South Indian Classical Music

A Violin Concert by

Lalgudi Krishnan & Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi

Percussion: Patri Satish Kumar &

Tripoonithura Radhakrishnan

Venue: Duesenberg Recital Hall

Date:  September 24^th at 7 PM.

Concert Sponsored by:

The Chinese and Japanese Studies Program.

Ticket information: Concert is free but tickets are required.

Tickets given at the Harre Union front desk (464-5007)

Contact information: Professor Jaishankar Raman (jraman@valpo.edu)

A talk by Dr. Todd Hillwig, VU Department of Physics and Astronomy

Friday, August 28, 7:30 pm, in Neils Science Center 224

Throughout history people and cultures have studied the heavens.  The evolution of astronomy from superstition to science mirrors humanity’s understanding of the greater world around us.  I will present examples of cultures and individuals whose treatment of the heavens illustrates the growth of astronomy and science in general.  The talk is not meant to be a comprehensive survey of astronomy in antiquity; rather to help us put into context many of the foundational elements of our understanding of the universe around us, and how those often taken for granted elements came to be discovered.

8:30-9:30 Telescope viewing at VU Observatory ( or Planetarium show in NSC if cloudy)

You are cordially invited to an Evening of Ives, Valparaiso University Theatre Department’s last production of the year, directed by VU senior theatre major Caroline Crafton.  Two comedies by David Ives will be performed: The Philadelphia and English Made Simple. Production time is 35 minutes, in case you’re cramped for time. The Performances will take place this Friday (May 1st) and Saturday (May 2nd) at 8 pm in the Studio Theater. Admission is free.  Don’t miss out!

A talk by Dr. Adam Rengstorf, Purdue University Calumet

Friday, May 1, 7:30 pm in Neils Science Center 224

Many of us remember memorizing in elementary school an acronym for the names of the nine planets (My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas). For better or worse, this listing is no longer the case. With the formal definition of a planet by the International Astronomical Union in August of 2006, Earth is now one of eight planets in our solar system, with Pluto reclassified.  I will present a brief overview of the solar system with an eye towards how and when the planets were discovered, when and why planets have been demoted (yes, it’s happened more than once), and the necessity and appropriateness of the official IAU definition.

8:30-9:30 Telescope viewing at VU Observatory ( or Planetarium show in NSC if cloudy)

A talk by Dr. John P. Wefel (VU ‘66), Louisiana State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Friday, April 17, 7:30 pm in Neils Science Center 234

Antarctica is the “continent of science.”  While best known for the early explorers (e.g., Scott) who traveled there to cross the continent and reach the South Pole, modern day explorers are more likely to wear white lab coats and be studying a wide variety of scientific questions, including those in astronomy and astrophysics.  Antarctic facilities include telescopes, neutron monitors, in-ice detectors for high-energy neutrinos, and balloon launch infrastructure for high altitude investigations.  The last, in particular, offer some of the best means to study cosmic rays, cosmic microwave background radiation, and cosmic infrared radiation.   Highlights from several of these investigations will be discussed along with the living and working conditions on the frozen continent.

8:30-9:30 Telescope viewing at VU Observatory ( or Planetarium show in NSC if cloudy)

9:30-10:30 Remote telescopic viewing through the SARA telescope in Arizona (NSC 234)

Flyer: Astronomy and Astrophysics from Antarctica

A presentation by Peter Annin,

Author of The Great Lakes Water Wars

April 21, 2009

7:00pm

Valparaiso University

Neils Science Center 234

A veteran conflict and environmental journalist, Peter Annin spent more than a decade reporting on a wide variety of issues for Newsweek.  He has spent many years writing about the environment, including droughts in the Southwest, hurricanes in the Southeast, wind power on the Great Plains, forest fires in the mountain West, recovery efforts on the Great Lakes, and the causes and consequences of the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since January 2000 Annin has worked as Associate Director of the Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources, a nonpartisan national nonprofit that organizes educational fellowships for mid-career environmental journalists. (www.ijnr.org) In September 2006 he published his first book, The Great Lakes Water Wars, which has been called the definitive work on the Great Lakes water diversion controversy (www.greatlakeswaterwars.com). In 2007 the book received the Great Lakes Book Award for nonfiction.

Peter will give a general summary of the water diversion controversies found in The Great Lakes Water Wars, and close the gap between the end of the book and the current status of the Great Lakes Compact.  Issues specifically relevant to Indiana and Valparaiso will also be addressed.

There will be a book sale and signing immediately following the presentation.

Flyer: The Great Lakes Water Wars

Wordfest and The Lighter present THE CABARET!

“But what is this thing called cabaret?”

cab~a~ret (kab??r?)

2b. A restaurant or night-club in which entertainment is provided as an accompaniment to a meal; also, the entertainment so provided, a floor-show.

As in, “He spends most of his extra money at pool parlors, Austrian villages and cabaret shows,” or “Those melancholy places, the night clubs and cabarets.”  (Thanks, OED!)

Or better yet, as in, “The Lighter and Wordfest proudly present their third annual Cabaret, at which no money will be collected and no melancholy will be found (or that which is found will be tidily swept up and packaged into art).”

Date: Saturday, April 4th

Time: 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Place: Refectory in Mueller Hall

Fare: Dinner provided free!

Program: a variety of musical, spoken word and visual media acts by students, faculty and staff

Rumors: a banjo in the hands of Prof. Owens, a guitar in those of Prof. Sponberg; the vocal stylings of Prof. Buinicki and Prof Childress; Nancy Drew’s alter ego channeled by Prof. Schuette-Hoffman; and more, oh, so much more…