‘Astronomy and . . .’
Tom Burns, director of Perkins Observatory, entertains and informs guests at Delaware’s ‘Place for Space.’ The Observatory will begin a new lecture series March 5. (Photo by Paul Molitor)
Perkins Observatory to Host New Lecture Series Connecting Different Cultures, Academic Disciplines
Perkins Observatory (Photo by Paul Molitor)
DELAWARE, Ohio – Think space is far out? Ohio Wesleyan University’s Perkins Observatory is launching a new lecture series March 5 that will connect astronomy to other academic areas and cultures.
The ticketed talks will be held monthly, usually on the first Thursday of each month. All will begin at 8 p.m. at the Observatory, 3199 Columbus Pike (U.S. 23), Delaware. Here are the speakers, topics, and dates for the inaugural “Astronomy and…” series:
March 5 – Tom Burns, Perkins Observatory director and Ohio Wesleyan University part-time English professor, “Astronomy and Stargazing: Pleasures and Perils of the Night.” April 2 – Lynette Carpenter, OWU English professor, and colleagues, “Astronomy and Literature: Readings from Literature on Things Astronomical.” May 7 – James Krehbiel, OWU fine arts professor, “Astronomy and the Ancestral Pueblo People: Recent Discoveries and an Overview.” June 4 – David Soliday, OWU instructional technologist, “Astronomy and Mobile Technology: Augmented Reality Brings Planets to Your Pocket.” July 2 – Barbara Andereck, OWU physics and astronomy professor, “Astronomy, Rhetoric, and Philanthropy: Connections between Delaware, Ohio, and Florence, Italy.” Aug. 6 – Paul Kostyu, OWU associate journalism professor, “Astronomy and Journalism: Covering the Martian Beat.” Sept. 3 – D. Glen Vanderbilt Jr., OWU theatre professor, “Astronomy and Theatre: Dark Theatres Inspired by Dark Skies.” Oct. 8 – Donald Lateiner, OWU professor emeritus of humanities/classics, “Astronomy and Astropoetry: The ‘Stars’ of Ancient Greek & Roman Epic and Lyric Poems.”“Astronomy and . . .” is meant to enhance and complement the Observatory’s other long-running lecture series, “New Vistas in Astronomy,” which, since the 1920s, has detailed astronomy’s contribution to our scientific understanding of the universe.
The new series will celebrate astronomy’s contribution to the multicultural heritage of all people who inhabit our planet. It will give a glimpse of the effects the stars and planets have on our history, religion, literature, and politics. After each lecture, weather permitting, Observatory staff and volunteers will point telescopes at some of the astronomical targets that have inspired works of art and other endeavors.
The speakers span the range of Ohio Wesleyan’s talented teaching staff. The series is dedicated to achieving in an informal way one of the objectives of the university’s “Course Connections” program: to help people understand the wider implications of a single area of study in the larger world. “By integrating the perspectives of many different disciplines,” the university states, “you arrive at a more complete and sophisticated picture of those issues.”
“Astronomy and . . .” adds to Perkins Observatory’s extensive set of public activities. In addition to the “New Vistas” science series, Perkins holds public skywatch sessions most Friday nights, a Celebration of the Sun during the summer, and monthly meetings and special-interest groups of the Columbus Astronomical Society.
Reservations are strongly recommended for all Observatory events as only 90 tickets are available per event, and many sell out ahead of time. Advance tickets for individual “Astronomy and…” talks are $8. Tickets are $2 more if purchased at the door. A series pass is available for $50. To reserve tickets or determine at-the-door availability, call (740) 363-1257. Learn more at perkins.owu.edu.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 86 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,750 students represent 46 U.S. states and territories and 43 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.