Our Understanding of the Cosmos—Then and Now

Join us September 5 for Our Understanding of the Cosmos—Then and Now with Richard Luecke of the Gloucester Area Astronomy Club! For millennia, people have tried to understand what they observed in the night sky–planets, passing comets, stars and the pale glow of the Milky Way. Our understanding has changed remarkably over the centuries thanks to progress in astronomy, astrophysics and observing technology. This visually enhanced presentation will focus on key moments in those centuries of progress, which include the Earth-centered universe of the ancient world; Copernicus’s Sun-centered revolution; the revelations of Galileo’s wonderful telescope; physical laws revealed by Newton and Kepler; how we’ve learned to measure the vast distances of space; and Edwin Hubble’s breakthrough discoveries, which have greatly expanded our measure of the universe. We will meet in Moore Auditorium on Schoodic Institute’s campus. Weather permitting, attendees will then be invited outdoors for a… View Source