AUG 11
2015

From Cosmic Birth to Living Earths: The Future of UVOIR Space Astronomy
Chairs: Phil Stahl and Heidi Hammel

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) has commissioned a report entitled "From Cosmic Birth to Living Earths: The Future of UVOIR Space Astronomy." The committee, co-chaired by Profs. Julianne Dalcanton and Sara Seager, has been charged with studying future space-based options for UV and optical astronomy that significantly advance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the cosmos and the life within it. Specifically, the committee is tasked with constructing a coherent and well-justified path leading to a next-generation UVOIR mission with the highest possible scientific impact in the era immediately following JWST. The committee will present its main findings at this public splinter session. Presentations will include summaries of the top science cases for the next major UV-optical observatory, the technology developments that will need to be achieved in the current decade to enable its construction, and the path forward that will lead to a viable flight proposal for consideration by the NRC in their 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Review.

JUL 6
2015

Are we alone in the universe? Are other Earth-like worlds common? How has the universe evolved to its present diversity? Curious humans have asked these questions for centuries, but it’s only now that scientists have the astronomical technology within their reach to start providing answers. New space telescopes and other devices will soon allow us to discover new Earth-like planets, to search these planets for signs of life, and to tell the cosmic story of how this life came to be. Join us for the debut of the new report From Cosmic Birth to Living Earths, The Future of UVOIR (Ultraviolet, Optical and Infrared) Space Astronomy. Scientists  will unveil the potential for a high-definition, space-based telescope that will revolutionize the way we see and understand our universe. A series of presentations by noted researchers will be followed by a moderated discussion with host Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium.