Guest Presenter: Samantha Pepper

Stars have inspired great works of art and terrific scientific advancements, but the stories and myths associated with the constellations can be pretty bawdy. In this class we will learn about the salacious tales tied to our favorite constellations and the namesakes of some of the objects in our very own solar system!  Once we've learned about the soap operas playing themselves out across the night sky, we'll also learn how to identify a few of the prominent constellations.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $20/class

Members - $15/class

Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Image credit: Jacques-Louis David

Clair Patterson was an American geochemist who was tasked with the project of using radioactive dating to measure the age of the Earth. The process involved comparing the concentrations of uranium and lead in rock samples, but Patterson quickly discovered that lead severely contaminated his laboratory. This realization began a lifelong crusade to combat environmental lead poisoning by taking on the oil industry and their use of leaded gasoline. This class will overview the work of this often unsung hero.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class

Members - $20/class

Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Image credit: California Institute of Technology