Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Welcomes Dr. Adam Lark Featured Guest for June Speaker Series

June 13, 2023

NANTUCKET, MA—The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it will host Dr. Adam Lark as a featured presenter for its Science Speaker Series this month. His presentation, “Exoplanets: Where They Are and How You Can Help Find Them” will take place on June 15 at 7pm on Zoom. This event is free to all.

 

Considering the immense size and scale of our own solar system, one would expect that finding planets around other stars, or exoplanets, would be nearly impossible. However, over the past few decades, astronomers have developed many amazing techniques for accomplishing this task. In this talk, Lark will discuss these techniques, and describe the method used to aid in the search for exoplanets. He will also describe how you can get involved in helping NASA discover exoplanets using your own backyard telescope!
 

Dr. Adam Lark is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Physics Department at Hamilton College and the Director of the Peters Observatory. He earned his doctorate at the University of Toledo researching discovery-based learning in physics laboratories and globular clusters detection techniques. Using the modest telescope at the Peters Observatory, Lark aids in the search for exoplanets through NASA's TESS follow-up exoplanet observation program.


This series is generously presented by our lead sponsor, Bank of America. Additionally we thank Cisco Brewers Nantucket and the White Elephant Hotel and Resort for their support in our Science Speaker Series.  For additional details or to register, please visit https://www.mariamitchell.org/science-speaker-series.

 

The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.


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For Immediate Release

June 5, 2023

Contact: Molly Mosscrop,

mmosscrop@mariamitchell.org

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