MARS RETURNS: [March 20, 2012; 7:00--8:30 PM; City of Surprise Room]: Mars, the Greek God of War, the fourth planet from the Sun, and the most Earth-like of the other terrestrial planets in our solar system has held our interest for ages. Mars has brought us a wealth of science myth (past and present) and fact and is currently revealing many of its secrets via two terrestrial rovers, Spirit and Discovery, and the orbiting Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft and others continue to gather breathtaking images of Mars’ surface. There can be little doubt that Mars had (has) water on it but the question of Life on Mars remains unanswered. Mars is returning for another close opposition in the evening sky of our Fall and Winter. While not as large as in October 2005, Mars will not be this big until 2016. Dr. Smith will discuss various aspects of the planet and its exploration will be discussed. Mars and other celestial objects may be viewed at the West Valley Astronomy Club Star Party on March 24, 2012 (see Star Party page for important details and directions to the site).

COMETS; SOLAR SYSTEM GYPSIES [May 15, 2012; 7:00--8:30 PM; City of Surprise Room]: Comets are frequent visitors to our evening sky. Dr. Smith will discuss some historical aspects of comet apparitions and our modern understanding of these wandering Solar System bodies. As ghostly harbingers of doom and gloom, comets were thought to be “sublunar” objects originating from Earthly vapors by the early Greeks. Comets led the way to answering the question of “where does the sky begin?” and ultimately to our current Copernian “heliocentric” view of the Universe. Kepler’s laws of planetary movement and Newton’s three laws of motion and gravity arose largely from the study of comets. Indeed, comets have been instrumental in our modern understanding of the Universe. Dr. Smith will discuss the types of comets and past, present and future spacecraft visits to these “Solar System Gypsies”. Mars and other celestial objects may be viewed at the West Valley Astronomy Club Star Party on May 19, 2012 (see Star Party page for important details and directions to the site).

  MARICOPA COUNTY WHITE TANKS BRANCH LIBRARY