Dr. Charles Higgins will share his perspective of “The Cosmological Principle” during the MTSU Department of Physics and Astronomy’s next First Friday Star Party.
The event will be held starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, in Wiser-Patten Science Hall Room 102. Following Higgins’ 30- to 45-minute talk and weather permitting, attendees will go outside to utilize telescopes set up by the observatory. People should dress warmly; forecasted temperatures are expected to be 27 to 28 degrees.
“The Cosmological Principle in modern physical cosmology is the assumption that there is no special place in the universe,” Higgins, an associate professor, said in offering a glimpse of his presentation. “The view of the universe is the same and the laws of physics apply no matter where you are located. This principle can be tested; these tests, examples, and consequences of this principle are presented and related to our understanding of the universe.”
To learn about the spring series, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/physics/images/Star_Parties.pdf.
Free parking is available for star party attendees behind Wiser-Patten. A campus map can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/MTParkingMap12-13.
To reach the parking lot, turn off of East Main Street onto Baird Lane. Turn right onto Alumni Drive, and then turn left onto Friendship Street next to the Science Building construction site. Before the road starts to curve, turn left into the parking lot. Handicap parking requires a state permit.
For more information contact Higgins at 615-898-5946, Dr. Eric Klumpe at 615-898-2483 or call the physics and astronomy office at 615-898-2130.