June 22, 2018
8:30 p.m.
Prof. Aaron Romanowsky, UC Observatories & San Jose State University
"The Mystery of the Ghost Galaxies"
Aaron Romanowsky is an associate professor of physics & astronomy at San Jose State University (SJSU). He was an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara and did his doctoral research at Harvard on dark matter, gravitational lensing, and supermassive black holes. He then criss-crossed the globe in search of exciting galactic data in the Netherlands, England, Chile, and UC Santa Cruz. He now works at the interface of observations, computer simulations, and machine learning to understand the nature of dark matter and the origins of galaxies and star clusters. He leads a team of students at SJSU in search of the most extreme stellar systems in the universe, recently discovering the densest known galaxies and now pursuing the fluffiest galaxies. He is co-director of Cal-Bridge, a program to support CSU undergraduates in pursuing doctoral studies in physics and astronomy at UC campuses and beyond.
Program Information
| 7:30 p.m. | Doors Open | Brief Telescope Visits |
| 8:30 p.m. | Science Talk, Lecture Hall | History Talk, Lecture Hall |
| 9:30 p.m. | Science Talk (repeated), Lecture Hall | Telescope Viewings |
| 10:30 p.m. | History Talk (repeated), Great Refractor | Telescope Viewings |
| 1:00 a.m. | Doors Close |
Ticket Information
General admission: $ 25.00 per person (ages 8 and older).
Tickets are non-refundable. Limit of four tickets per customer. Please be advised that unpredictable weather patterns may restrict telescope viewings, though lectures and other activities will still take place. Due to safety regulations and the nature of the event, children under age 8 are not allowed at this event, and it may be unsuitable for children under the age of 12 due to late hours.
Join Friends of Lick Observatory (FoLO) and Get Tickets Early
If you'd like to purchase tickets as early as noon on April 11th, 2018, join our Friends of Lick Observatory (FoLO) program by April 1st, 2018. As a thank you for supporting the observatory, you'll get special access to purchase tickets before they go on sale for the general public on April 18th at noon at www.ucsctickets.com
Driving to Lick Observatory
Please allow a one-hour drive from San Jose. The rood is good, but windy. The event typically lasts between 4 and 6 hours; prepare to drive home late in the evening. There are no automative services or gas stations for 20 miles, so please plan ahead. See more information on driving directions and parking here.
Recommended Attire
Casual, comfortable clothing and walking shoes. A sweater or light coat is recommended.
Safety
Please be careful when walking around in the dark outside; bringing a flashlight is recommended. Children under age 8 are not allowed at this event, and it may be unsuitable for children under the age of 12 due to late hours.
Telescopes
The large telescopes will be available for viewing as soon as the sky is dark. Telescopes will remain open until every guest has had an opportunity to see through both the 36-inch Great Refractor and the 40-inch Nickel Telescope.
In order to view through the telescopes, guests will receive a numbered pass at the door. Guests with the lowest telescope numbers are admitted to the telescopes first - so we recommend getting to the observatory early! Please note: Due to historic construction of the telescope domes, the 36-inch Refractor and the 40-inch Nickel Telescope are not wheelchair accessible at this time.
Volunteer amateur astronomers also set up ground telescopes in the back parking so guests can view additional cosmic objects.
Gift Shop
Lick Observatory souvenirs and astronomy merchandise will be available for purchase between 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. You can also visit our Gift Shop online 24/7.
Refreshments
Snacks and beverages will be available near the Nickel Telescope. Vending machines and fountain water are also available.
Assistance
We strive to make your visit as complete and meaningful as possible. Please let us know if you will need special assistance (for example, if you will have difficulty climbing stairs), so we can make the necessary arrangements.
Share Your Experience
If you attend an event make sure to tag us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter!
Leave a review on Yelp here.