Imagine being in a room with physicist Sheldon Cooper, neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, or more specifically, astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali from the Big Bang Theory. With a group of incredibly smart scientists pontificating about the sun, other stars, galaxies, extrasolar planets, the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background, things could get very interesting.
Take a similar group of eager young astronomers, then add a standing-room-only crowd, free admission, tasty treats (not free) and a trivia quiz, and host the whole mix in downtown Trenton, and you get Astronomy on Tap: Trenton, a public outreach project supported by Princeton’s Department of Astrophysical Sciences.
Happening on Wednesday, October 16th from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Trenton Social (449 S Broad St, Trenton, New Jersey), the event will bring a fun mix of theoretical and observational physics to not only define the properties of dark matter, dark energy, and other celestial bodies, but to have an astronomical experience with great people, great food and great conversation.
The Trenton chapter of Astronomy on Tap is part of a world-wide movement to bring astronomy to the general public. Each FREE event features accessible, engaging science presentations on topics ranging from planets to black holes to galaxies to the beginning of the Universe. Presenters are from local research and educational institutions including Princeton (one of Trenton’s five Anchor Institutions of Higher Learning).
Most events have games and prizes to test and reward your new-found knowledge, and you could even win Neil Tyson’s Trash Treasures. There’s always lots of time to ask questions and interact with the presenters and other scientists who inevitably tag along for the beer.
Princeton University’s Department of Astrophysical Sciences has a vibrant community of faculty, research staff, and students who work on a wide range of topics in astronomy and astrophysics. The Department also has an active postdoctoral research program with strong links to neighboring groups in the Department of Physics, the Institute for Advanced Study, and the Center for Computational Astrophysics at the Simons Foundation.
For more information about Astronomy on Tap, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/529861461152999/
