Searching for ET: Planetary Habitability and Exoplanets

Class/Workshop, Professional Development

Astronomers are finding and learning about new planets around other stars all the time. What do we know about these exoplanets and how do we know what we know? Explore what these new planetary systems are telling us about habitability and the possibility of life in the universe. Explore properties and motions of planets, both in our Solar System and beyond. Build and use classroom models of the night sky, the solar system, moon phases, star charts and more.
Participants will also engage in night-time telescope observations and tour McDonald Observatory to learn how astronomers use research telescopes to explore the Universe and make ground-breaking discoveries.