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

Christ College Symposium

with guest speaker Gretchen Buggeln, Duesenberg Chair in Christianity and the Arts, Associate Professor of Art History and Humanities in Christ College, Valparaiso University

Thursday, September 24, 6:30-7:30 pm, Harre Union Ballroom

More information: http://www.valpo.edu/christcollege/assets/pdfs/sympfall2009.pdf

Christ College Symposium

“The Divine Handiwork: Evolution and the Wonder of Life”

with guest speaker Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and the History of Science, Harvard University

Thursday, September 10, 2009

6:30-7:30 pm, Community Room, Christopher Center

For more details: http://www.valpo.edu/christcollege/assets/pdfs/sympfall2009.pdf

We encourage you to attend one or more of the symposia hosted by Christ College this Fall. They are Core-approved events (for 5th hour credit) and they offer interesting speakers on many different topics. Tonight’s symposium is on global warming. Each one runs from 6:30-7:30 pm in the Refectory in Mueller Hall. Click here for the whole Fall schedule:

http://www.valpo.edu/christcollege/assets/pdfs/sympfall2009.pdf

Tonight: “Global Warming and the Earth’s Future,” David Archer, Professor of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago

 (Info from event organizer:)

In order for our campus to become a certified StormReady community under the National Weather Service, we must partake in two public severe weather safety talks annually. This seems like a great opportunity, especially for freshmen. I remember my freshmen year 3 years ago when a tornado warning was issued for Porter County on my second day of classes! The talk will be given by myself, Jonathan Guseman – a senior meteorology major, along with other meteorology majors here at Valpo who feel that keeping our campus aware of severe weather is important. The talk will take place on Thursday, September 3 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Room 264 (Brown & Gold Room) of the Union. I hope you can all attend and become informed on an important component of our everyday lives. Thank you.

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)

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