Constellations R Us

Christina Pease:

For thousands of years people have seen patterns in the night – shapes formed by or between the stars. I’ll discuss how we ended up with the constellations that are recognized by today’s astronomers, why some are better-known than others, and some of the other patterns that are hiding in plain sight.

Every other Friday, the Astronomy Department at Columbia University sponsors public outreach. Attendees get access to astronomical information through timely lectures by members of the department aimed at a public audience. After the 30-minute lecture, if the weather is clear, the public can proceed to the roof of Pupin Hall and be guided by volunteers in stargazing and observing through the telescopes of Rutherfurd Observatory. A slide show and discussion with an astronomer about various astronomical images happens if the weather is cloudy.

Events are held at Pupin Hall on Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus.