Public Lecture on Thursday, January 14
January 11, 2010
On Thursday, January 14, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) invites all inquisitive adults to join us for “The Search for Habitable Earths,” a presentation by Dr. William Cochran. The presentation continues this year’s lecture series, “The Search for Meaning, for Planets, for Life.”
Since the early 1900s, astronomers have discovered more than 400 planets beyond our solar system. Most of these are giant, Jupiter-like planets. The Kepler spacecraft is currently surveying our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover Earth-sized planets in or near habitable zones of stars and to determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy might have such planets. Cochran will discuss how and where we search for planets and the exciting recent findings of the Kepler mission.
Cochran is a Senior Research Scientist with The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory. He is also Co-Investigator of NASA’s Kepler mission to search for Earth-like planets in the Milky Way galaxy.
This free presentation begins at 7:30 p.m., and will be followed by a light reception and an opportunity to meet Dr. Cochran. No reservation is necessary, and all interested adults are welcome. LPI is located in the USRA building at 3600 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston TX 77058; the entrance is located on Middlebrook Drive. For questions, contact Andrew Shaner at 281-486-2163 ([email protected]).
For more information or to download a flyer, visit
Cosmic Explorations: A Speaker Series
January 11, 2010
