Science Outside the Square

SOS 2009
Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? It seems like no time at all since SOS started delivering innovative events on some of the hottest topics in science, but believe it or not, 2009 sees SOS enter its FIFTH fabulous year!

Galileo: night of the stars

It is 400 years since Galileo first pointed his telescope at the stars of Renaissance Italy and saw more than had ever been imagined before. A controversial and rebellious personality, his actions produced evidence for the Copernican theory that the earth revolved around the sun, and in so doing challenged the 17th century concept of the universe and attracted the wrath of the Inquisition.

Galileo's telescopes represented a ten-fold improvement over his unaided eye; opening up whole new worlds. While these telescopes had their limitations, advances in technology have led, over time, to the multitude of instruments available to 21st Century astronomers, which continue to reveal new and unexpected aspects of the Universe.

Join host, Rob Morrison, and our panel Marcello Costa, Romano Rubichi and Roger Clay for a fascinating historical, scientific and artistic insight into life in Galileo’s Europe, touching on everything from Renaissance art to the scientific revolution, telescopes then and now, and anything else they fancy!

Complimentary drinks and nibbles will be provided by the Italian Consulate and the Dante Alighieri Society after the event (9.00pm-10.00pm).

When: Wednesday 26th August 7.30pm
Where: The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel (The Gov) 59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
How: FREE event but booking required. Register at EventBrite on www.galileonightofthestars.eventbrite.com

This event forms part of National Science Week and the International year of Astronomy. It is presented by the RiAus, in conjunction with the Italian Consulate, the Dante Alighieri Society and the Association for Research of between Australia and Italy (ARIA SA).

SOS Event – The Cosmic Distance Ladder

Ever wondered how astronomers measure the distance to planets or distant stars? While far too vast to be measured directly, you might be surprised to learn that there are some rather clever indirect ways of computing these. Better still, all it takes is observation, some high-school mathematics and the cosmic distance ladder borrowed from the ancient Greeks.

AKA the ‘extragalactic distance scale’, this hierarchy of rather clever (yet surprisingly elementary) mathematical methods has long been used by astronomers to measure everything from the size and relative locations of the Earth, Sun and Moon, to – more recently – the distance to stars and galaxies, and even the scale of the universe itself.

Join Fields Medallist and Clay-Mahler Lecturer Terence Tao as he explores this great testament to the power of indirect measurement, and to the use of mathematics to cleverly augment observation.

When: Friday 2nd October 7pm
Where: Adelaide Town Hall, King William Street, Adelaide
How: FREE event but booking required. Register at EventBrite on www.thecosmicdistanceladder.eventbrite.com

This event is presented in association with the Australian Mathematical Society, the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute and the Clay Mathematics Institute, and form part of the 2009 Clay-Mahler Lecture Tour.

Contact info@riaustralia.org.au to join our mailing list and be first to know just what adventures are coming your way!

SOS is a program of the