Exoplanet Madness continues, not only with the Mt. Wilson Observatory Assn. talk on Saturday, but this event at Caltech on Oct. 4:

"Many Suns, Many Worlds: The Galactic Quest for Exoplanets"

Worlds like "Hot Jupiters" and "Super Earths" don't exist in our own solar system, but have been found in our galaxy. Astronomers have confirmed that 490 planets (and counting!) have been discovered outside our solar system. There may be billions of these "exoplanets" inhabiting the Milky Way alone. What do these discoveries, if anything, tell us about our place in the universe?

The Planetary Society, the American Astronomical Society's Division of Planetary Sciences, and the Keck Institute for Space Studies invite you to "Many Suns, Many Worlds: The Galactic Quest for Exoplanets," a free event on Monday, October 04, 2010 at Caltech in Pasadena. Four leading experts in the field will review how exoplanets form, the latest techniques used to go exoplanet hunting, and how to determine what type of exoplanet has been found.

Many Suns, Many Worlds: The Galactic Quest for Exoplanets
– Professor Eric Ford (Univ. of Florida): Exoplanets, A New Window Into Planet Formation
– Professor Jason Wright (Penn State): The Search for Exoplanets
– Professor Natalie Batalha (San Jose State): Finding Exoplanets with the Kepler Mission
– Dr. Mark Swain (NASA/JPL): Characterizing Exoplanets
– Question and Answer Session

Monday, October 4, 2010
8:00 – 9:30 pm
California Institute of Technology
Beckman Auditorium
332 South Michigan Avenue (south of Del Mar Boulevard) Pasadena, California
Admission: Free

For information about parking and a map — as well as contact information if you have questions about the event — visit http://www.kiss.caltech.edu/lectures/exoplanet2010.html.

Seating for this event is on a first come, first served basis.