Time to talk cosmic

Cosmic Conversations features the Stars of Mizzou

first Wednesday of each month
7:00 p.m.
Room 126, Physics Building

Whether you’re an astronomy buff or simply curious to discover more about the cosmos, the first Wednesday of each month at the University of Missouri will be a celestial event this semester. Cosmic Conversations, an astronomical talk series, has returned after its inaugural semester in the fall.

The series was organized by Angela Speck, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy. Speck created the program to educate listeners about the cosmos through a variety of topics such as the space program, astronomy and religion.

Talks take place at 7 p.m. in Room 120 of the Physics building on the MU campus. Following each talk, the Laws Observatory will be open for the public from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting. The Laws Observatory is located on the fifth floor of the Physics building.

Craig Kluever, associate professor, Mechanical Engineering, began this semester's series on February 6, 2008, with "A Personal History of NASA projects," where he discussed the NASA space program. On Wednesday, March 5, 2008, Adrian Corman, doctoral candidate, Physics and Astronomy, will examine stellar evolution in the Lives and Deaths of Stars. Corman's research focuses on the dust around carbon stars.

Ken Macleod, professor, Geological Sciences, will speak Wednesday, April 2, 2008. Macleod will discuss extinctions due to meteorite impacts in It Came from Outer Space: Recent controversies regarding the K/T boundary. To end the semester’s series, Larry Brown, professor, Geography, will discuss the relationship between astronomy and religion on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

The series is sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy in conjunction with the Central Missouri Astronomical Association. "Cosmic Conversations" is scheduled to continue throughout the upcoming summer and fall semesters. A full list of speakers and other information can be found at http://stardust.astro.missouri.edu/CosmicConversations/.

Each lecture is free and open to the public.