“Help! The sky is falling!” It can happen. Seriously.
“Objects from space can occasionally fall to Earth,” said Darren Williams, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State Behrend. “Astronomers have identified most of the asteroids and comets in the vicinity of Earth that pose the greatest risk, but not all.”
Williams will discuss why rocks from space sometimes fall from the sky on Thursday, Oct. 17, when Open House Night in Astronomy returns to Penn State Behrend. His presentation, “Cosmic Calamity: Threat Of Asteroid and Comet Impacts on Earth,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in room 101 of the Otto Behrend Science Building. It is free and open to the public.
During the talk, Williams will discuss the history of major asteroid and comet impacts. He also will detail when we might expect another, and how astronomers are tracking the space rocks.
The lecture will be followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. Weather permitting, astronomical observing will be offered at the Mehalso Observatory. A live presentation on the current night sky will be held in the Yahn Planetarium at 6:30 p.m., prior to the talk.
Open House Nights in Astronomy are an outreach program of the School of Science at Penn State Behrend. These scientific presentations are intended for ages 8 and up; for additional information, contact the school at 814-898-6105.
Steve Orbanek
Marketing Communications Coordinator, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College