Giant Lasers, Exploding Stars, and Alien Planets," is a lively journey through the 150-year legacy of Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton. This talk blends history with accessible science, exploring how the observatory pioneered laser systems that sharpen our view of the cosmos and contributed to the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the universe’s accelerating expansion. Lick continues to drive discovery today--training students, testing next-generation instruments, and hunting for worlds beyond our solar system.

 

Since 2012 the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center has welcomed over 500,000 visitors with free admission from California, the US, and world. 50,000 annual visitors including students, many from lower income communities, are inspired to protect our ocean. The Foundation is now raising funds to refresh the visitor experience at the Exploration Center. Our club did donate $50,000 to them in 2010, which has helped them tremendously.