Extra-Solar Planets, Dark Matter Featured at UC s Astro Night

An evening of fun at the frontiers of astronomy and physics is the goal of Astro Night Friday, May 25, at the University of Cincinnati. The evening will feature presentations on extra-solar planets and dark matter, an egg-drop contest, telescope viewing of the night sky and grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.

“This is a night of fun and learning, open to any student,” said Margaret M. Hanson, professor of physics and associate university dean.

Astro Night begins at 6:00 p.m. in Room 325 Braunstein Hall with a presentation on planets outside our solar system by recent UC graduate

Davin Flateau

, who began his research on extra-solar planets while an undergraduate student. Flateau is on his way to graduate study at the University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Labs.  He is a recent recipient of a National Science Foundation graduate student fellowship.

Following a brief intermission with refreshments, students will be given materials to create a “spacecraft” to safely drop eggs from the roof of Braunstein, with prizes for the most effective designs.

Dark matter, the mysterious substance that may account for a large portion of the total mass of the universe will be explored by Joachim Brod and Fady Bishara of UC’s physics department at 8:30 p.m. in Room 325 Braunstein Hall.

Telescope viewing on the lawn will occupy the rest of the evening as volunteers bring out their personal telescopes for students to view planets, the moon, and deep-space objects from McMicken Commons. While the audience is stargazing, hungry stargazers may treat themselves to burgers and hotdogs from a nearby grill.

Astro Night is organized by student Adithan Kathirgamaraju and fellow members of the Society of Physics Students.

 “This will teach the basics of owning and using a telescope, the different varieties available for personal use,” Kathirgamaraju said. “Telescopes used will include those belonging to UC’s exoplanet group and volunteers from Cincinnati Observatory and the Astronomical Society of Cincinnati.  We will also take students up to UC’s telescope dome on the top of Braunstein and track a few exoplanets, with the assistance of Davin Flateau.”

All events are free and open to the public.