Ithaca College

To astronomers, black holes have changed from weird possibilities to common occurrences. They are turning up all over the universe, with black holes containing millions or billions of times the sun's mass taking up the centers of galaxies.

On Tuesday, September 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Emerson Suites, Professor Jay M. Pasachoff will discuss at the Physics Café the basics of black holes and describe how black-hole hunters have succeeded in bagging their quarry. Pasachoff is the Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy and Director of Hopkins Observatory at Williams College. His visit to Ithaca College is sponsored by the Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program of the American Astronomical Society.

The Physics Café is a new campuswide lecture series sponsored by the physics department of Ithaca College and the American Astronomical Society. The idea is to grab and hold the attention of science and non-science majors by offering talks on exciting and accessible current topics in physics, such as the time-warping properties of black holes or the exploration of planet Mars. The talks are presented in a café environment, where coffee is served and students and physicists can informally discuss new ideas.

Each talk in the Physics Café series is presented by a world-class expert. These speakers are known for their abilities to communicate with non-scientific audiences. They have won awards for their efforts to engage the public in our search for a physical understanding of the universe.

There are no pre-requisites! No requirements! Everyone is welcome! Starbucks coffee (caffeinated and decaf) will be served, along with cookies and biscuits. An informal talkback session with the speaker will immediately follow each presentation.

Physics Café will take place at the beginning of each semester, before the workload gets heavy and while students and faculty are not preoccupied with prelims. The lecture is free and open to the public.

• For more information on our speaker, please see Jay Pasachoff and Pasachoff On-Line
• For exciting graphics about black holes etc. please see the HubbleSite News Center

Come and join us for an exciting look at the weird side of real world physics. Who knows, maybe you'll be so fascinated you'll want to take a physics class next semester.

Contact: Professor Beth Ellen Clark Joseph
Center for Natural Sciences, Room 267
607 274 3968

Contributed by Beth Ellen Clark Joseph