A public lecture by a CIERA (Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics) Astronomer followed by family activities and telescope observing at Dearborn Observatory! Come see electrified gasses through light-splitting glasses, or take home your own crafted constellation! We'll have CIERA astronomers ready to answer all of your spacey questions, and a local artist showcasing how he bridges science and the arts! This and much more at CIERA's Astronomy Night Out! Click here for complete details.

Sequencing the DNA of Galaxies with JWST

There are billions of galaxies, each with its own unique combination of traits developed over a complex lifetime---very much like people! Until recently, astronomers have only been able to study galaxies closest to the Milky Way in any detail, but the new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has allowed astronomers to observe some of the most distant galaxies in the Universe for the first time. CIERA Prof. Allison Strom will discuss how her team is using JWST and its suite of powerful infrared instruments to determine the chemical DNA of these faraway galaxies and show how this information is answering key questions about how galaxies like our own formed and evolved.