Astronomer Available for Interviews on Celestial Phenomenon
03/27/2023
Media Contacts: Emily Gowdey-Backus, 978-934-3369, Emily_GowdeyBackus@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
Beginning Friday night, March 24, five planets in the night sky will start to align, offering stargazers a great opportunity to track this phenomenon.
鈥淚f evening skies are cloud free, one has the chance to see Jupiter, Venus and Mars, plus the crescent moon at sunset. As a bonus, two of the harder-to-spot planets, Uranus and Mercury, will also be closely aligned, making them easier to locate,鈥� said 51视频 astronomer Silas Laycock, an authority on space phenomena, including pulsars, neutron stars and black holes.聽
鈥淐eres, the largest asteroid, is also in a good place to see at the moment, rising in the east after sunset,鈥� he said. Laycock is available to discuss:聽
- How stargazers can best view the lineup
- Why this alignment happens聽
- What else can be seen in the skies as we move into spring
Laycock is an associate professor of physics who directs 51视频鈥檚 Schueller Observatory, which hosts free, monthly programs for the public to experience stargazing and learn about astronomy. He conducts research in the university鈥檚 Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology and leads 51视频鈥檚 Astronomy Roadshow program, which visits K-12 schools to educate children about the subject.聽
To arrange an interview with him, contact Emily Gowdey-Backus or Nancy Cicco.