Join us April 25 at 5:00pm for a presentation on Astronomy & Extraterrestrial Life

Techno-signatures In Space:

The Universe contains hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars and countless planets, many of which could support life.  Given these numbers, intelligent civilizations should be common, yet decades of searching have produced no confirmed evidence.  This contradiction is known as the Fermi Paradox, famously summarized by Enrico Fermi with the question,"Where is everybody?"  Thinkers like Frank Drake attempted to estimate the number of detectable civilizations through the Drake Equation, while Cosmos emphasized both the vastness of space and the fragility of technological societies.

Advancing the Cosmos - Women’s Role in Astronomy:  

For much of history, the night sky has been a canvas for human curiosity - yet the stories of many who shaped our understanding of the Universe have gone unheard.  Women have played a pivotal role in Astronomy, often working in the shadows of institutions that did not fully recognize their brilliance.  Despite barriers to education, limited access to scientific institutions, and systemic exclusion, women have made discoveries that transformed astrophysics, cosmology and space exploration, Their work laid the foundation for star classification, galaxy evolution, dark matter research and even the technologies that allow us to explore the cosmos today.  Highlighting their achievements not only honors their legacy but also reminds us that scientific progress thrives where every mind has the opportunity to contribute.

From Mars With Love!  

If each of the many robot explorers we have landed on the Martian surface could send a postcard back to Earth, what were the most significant accomplishments/finds they would tell us about?  AND, in it's first billion years as a young planet, Mars was very Earth-like.  It had water on the surface, an atmosphere containing oxygen and surface minerals containing most of the prime ingredients for life.  One of the primary questions we have about Mars       - does it have signs of early life and, have we already found it?  Maybe we have!!

Email astronomy@hvuuc.org with any questions.