Keck to Present Public Talk in Honoka’a

Artist’s concept of a rocky Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of its host star. NASA/SETI/JPL image.

W.M. Keck Observatory will host a free public astronomy talk at the Honoka’a People’s Theater on Feb. 4.

Professor Greg Laughlin, an expert on planet formation and dynamics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, will discuss the formation of solar systems.

The talk will include an up-to-the-minute picture of the current galactic planetary census, and Dr. Laughlin will explain how the new discoveries of extrasolar planets help understand how the solar system formed and whether or not Earth-like planets might be common in the galazy.

Professor Laughlin will give an overview of how the Keck Observatory can be used to search for new objects in the dim outer realms of the solar system.

The talk will begin at 7 p.m.