Free Lecture, "Galactic Planet Hunting," and Movie, "Blast"

Rockland Astronomy Club Presents Lecture, "Galactic Planet Hunting," and Movie, "Blast,"” at SUNY Rockland Community College

Free and open to the public

Suffern, NY - The Rockland Astronomy Club along with SUNY Rockland Community College will present a free lecture and movie about the galaxy.

Thursday, April 15, 2010, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Lecture: "Galactic Planet Hunting," by Dr. Summer Ash

Admission: Free and open to the public

Technology Center, Room 8180 (Ellipse)

The first planet outside of our Solar System was discovered less than 20 years ago. Since then, more than 400 planets orbiting other stars in the Milky Way have been detected using both ground and space telescopes. Dr. Summer Ash will discuss the latest developments in exoplanet detection and the limitations still faced in finding another Earth. Ash is a Columbia Science Fellow in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Department and an instructor for Frontiers of Science in the Core Curriculum.

Friday, April 16, 2010, 7:30 pm.

Movie: "Blast"

Admission: Free and open to the public

Cultural Art Theater

Astrophysics Indiana Jones style! Filmmaker Paul Devlin follows the story of his brother, Mark Devlin PhD, as he leads a tenacious team of scientists hoping to figure out how all the galaxies formed by launching a revolutionary new telescope under a NASA high-altitude balloon. Their adventure takes them from Arctic Sweden to Inuit polar bear country in Canada, where catastrophic failure forces the team to try all over again on the desolate ice in Antarctica. Trailer: http://blastthemovie.com/trailer.html

For more information about the lecture and movie, contact Saeed Safaie, SUNY Rockland Community College Professor, Science, at (845) 574-4534, ssafaie@sunyrockland.edu

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Suffern campus map: http://www.sunyrockland.edu/about/campus-guide/map

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Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.