Science Chicago | Life's a Lab

Astronomy in the New Millennium: New Windows on the Cosmos

October 2nd, 2008 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Dr. Wendy Freedman is the Director of the Carnegie Observatories, the inaugural Brinson Lecturer at The University of Chicago, and currently in charge of building the world's largest telescope. However, she is perhaps best known for leading the team that determined rate at which our universe is expanding. Join Dr. Freedman for an exciting evening exploring the forefronts of astronomy, as we prepare to mark the 400th anniversary of when Galileo Galilei first turned a telescope to the sky. In the last few decades alone, we have discovered about 300 new planets outside of those in our own Solar System, detected massive black holes, and observed the entire universe to be expanding at an increasing rate, pulled apart by a cosmic force, unexplained by any of our current physical theories. Dr. Freedman will focus on recent astronomical discoveries, and show how giant new telescopes planned for both the ground and space will address some of the biggest mysteries in astronomy today. This Science Conversation is co-presented by the Brinson Foundation and the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at The University of Chicago.
Location	Illinois State Museum James R. Thompson Center 100 West Randolph Street, 2nd Floor Chicago, IL, 60601 Get Driving Directions Get Public Transit Directions View Larger Map
Contact	(312) 814-1794
Event Type	Lecture
Language(s)	English
Age Appropriateness	All Ages
Audience	General Public
Partners	University of Chicago, The Science Chicago