The first four write themselves into the course: Galileo’s Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Telescope, and the James Webb Space Telescope. We move from the beginnings of astronomy to a seemingly unending litany of astronomical discoveries, to exploring the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe, and lastly to an unbeatable device for probing both the distant past and the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars. Our ever-entertaining retired Astronomer/Instructor cheats on Telescope number five to praise two telescopes—the Atacama Large Millimeter Array and the Kepler, both heroes in the realm of extrasolar planet formation and detection. Finally, we summarize the latest ideas concerning extraterrestrial life, as informed by these telescopes. Limit 50.

G. Fritz Benedict
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Sept. 18
The Village at the Triangle
4517 Triangle Avenue (78751)