From our friends at the MIT Club of Washington DC...

The work of NASA's Astrophysics Division includes the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Their studies include the discovery of new exoplanets, especially ones with some features like those of Earth. There is particular attention to the exoplanets' sizes, orbits, and other properties. The Astrophysics Division also looks at the evolution of gamma ray bursts and black holes. These studies in space increase our knowledge of the Earth and our place in the universe.

The JWST was designed to discover the first galaxies and stars that formed in the universe, providing a view of the most distant light that we can see. It allows us to see when the universe was less than a billion years old. It provides a first look at small rocky planets outside the solar system.

About the Speaker: Our speaker, Mark Clampin is the Astrophysics Division Director in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Earlier he had worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate. He led the Earth Science Division and the high performance computing office. He also led the Solar System, Heliophysics, and Astrophysics work..

Pricing: $40 per person

Parking: There is a parking garage beneath the building, labeled The Pavilion with an entrance on Military Ave NW. Park on the Friendship Center side near the elevator lobby with a Maggiano's sign on it. Bring your parking ticket to the restaurant to be validated, reducing the price to $4.

Metro: Friendship Heights (Red Line).

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Questions: Robert Hershey roberthershey@alum.mit.edu