UA Astronomy Public Nights Feature Star-Gazing, Talk on Higgs Boson

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s department of physics and astronomy invites members of the community to attend a series of public nights this season to look at the heavens through UA telescopes.

The first of the free viewings is Thursday, Jan. 24 in 227 Gallalee Hall. The evening begins at 7 p.m. with a talk by Dr. Conor Henderson, UA assistant professor of physics and astronomy, on the discovery of the Higgs boson, or Higgs particle. Beginning at 8 p.m., Ron Buta, UA assistant professor, welcomes visitors to peer at the moon and Jupiter through telescopes in the dome atop Gallalee Hall.

Other sky viewings this season are:

7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15: Hosted by Dr. Dean Townsley, UA assistant professor, the event will focus UA’s telescopes atop Gallalee on the moon and Jupiter.

8-10 p.m. Friday, March 15: Hosted by Dr. William Keel, UA professor, this event will be at UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park. Visitors can access UA telescopes on pads in a field across the road from the park’s museum. The event will focus on nebulae and star clusters.

8 p.m. Friday, April 19: Hosted by Dr. Jimmy Irwin, UA assistant professor, the event will permit visitors to use the Gallalee telescopes to view the moon. Saturn will also be visible at approximately 10 p.m.

All sky viewings are contingent on the weather. Cloudy skies are not conducive to viewing. For more information about scheduled events, call 205/348-5050 or visit http://astronomy.ua.edu/Public.html. Please give advance notice if you plan to bring a large group.

Gallalee Hall is at the northeast corner of University Boulevard and Hackberry Drive, less than a block from Denny Chimes. UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park is 13 miles south of campus off Alabama 69.

The department of physics and astronomy is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.