Science for ÐÓ°Épro series features Pluto lecture in Juneau
Science for ÐÓ°Épro series features Pluto lecture in Juneau
Submitted by Cheri Renson
Phone: 907-474-5114
02/12/08
It’s more than three billion miles away and only one-fifth the size of Earth’s moon, yet Pluto was the source of worldwide debate when members of the International Astronomical Union demoted it to the status of dwarf planet in 2006. The mysterious celestial body is no longer included in the Milky Way’s list of eight major planets, but scientists still yearn to learn more about it. On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Travis Rector, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of ÐÓ°Épro Anchorage, will share information about Pluto and why he and other members of the IAU voted to change its status.
Rector’s lecture, "What Constitutes a Planet? The Debate Over Pluto," will begin at 7 p.m. in the Centennial Hall Convention Center in Juneau. It is the final lecture in the Juneau leg of the statewide Science for ÐÓ°Épro Lecture Series. The lectures are free and all ages are welcome.
The Science for ÐÓ°Épro Lecture Series brings the current research of University of ÐÓ°Épro scientists to the community in free presentations that are entertaining and educational. Since 1992, roughly 100,000 people statewide have enjoyed science lectures in the series.
The 2008 Science for ÐÓ°Épro Lecture Series is sponsored by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, the Geophysical Institute and the ÐÓ°Épro.
CONTACT: Cheri Renson, Anchorage and Juneau coordinator, at 907-474-5114 or via e-mail at cheri.renson@uaf.edu.
ON THE WEB: www.scienceforalaska.com