5 October 2009

David Lambert Delivers Talk ‘Dark Ages to Dark Energy' in Midland October 9

MIDLAND, Texas — To celebrate its grand re-opening after renovations, the Marian Blakemore Planetarium at Midland’s Museum of the Southwest will host a series of events on Friday, October 9, featuring McDonald Observatory Director Dr. David L. Lambert. The events are free and open to the public.

The festivities begin at 5:15 p.m., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the main entrance, followed by the planetarium show “Oasis in Space.” Lambert’s talk will follow at about 6:30 p.m. His talk “The International Year of Astronomy: Dark Ages to Dark Energy” will trace the course of astronomical discoveries over many years, highlighting discoveries made in Texas.

Lambert holds the Isabel McCutcheon Harte Centennial Chair in Astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin. He obtained a B.A. in physics in 1960 and a D. Phil. in solar physics in 1965 from the University of Oxford. In more than 40 years of research, he has published more than 460 research articles and received numerous awards, including the American Astronomical Society’s highest honor, the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship in 2007. His current research involves precise analyses of the chemical compostion of stars, both to determine how they make chemical elements and to better understand the chemical evolution of the Milky Way galaxy.

Lambert’s talk at the Blakemore Planetarium is presented as part of a 2009 statewide speaker series coordinated by The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. Astronomers are traveling to a number of cities in Texas to deliver free talks on IYA, Galileo, and astronomical research.

Organizers of the International Year of Astronomy encourage citizens to explore the skies in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first astronomical use of a telescope in 1609. The International Astronomical Union launched 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy under the theme “The Universe, Yours to Discover.” It is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, with a strong emphasis on education, public engagement, and the involvement of young people.

For more about this year's IYA speaker series, please visit: http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/iya/series. 

— END —

Media Contacts:

Jean Hoelscher, Marketing Director, Museum of the Southwest, (432) 683-2882.

Rebecca Johnson, Press Officer, McDonald Observatory, (512) 475-6763.