Evening with the Stars – June 14, 2025

Evening with the Stars – June 14th, 2025 8:30pm

Lecture: Imaging Exoplanets with the World’s Largest Telescopes

Astronomer: Dr. Steph Sallum

Program Information

7:30 pm	Doors Open
	Lecture Hall	36-inch Great Refractor Dome
8:30pm	Science Lecture	History Lecture
9:30 pm	Science Talk (repeated)	Telescope Viewings
10:30 pm	History Talk (repeated)	Telescope Viewings
1:00 am	Doors Close

Observing passes are handed out when you check in at the door so please plan to arrive early!

Observing only ends when everyone has had a chance to look through the telescope.

Gift shop is open from 7:00pm until 11:00pm.

Weather may restrict telescope viewings, but all other activities will still take place.

Science Lecture

Imaging Exoplanets with the World’s Largest Telescopes

Talk Abstract: We now know of more than 5000 confirmed exoplanets – planets that orbit stars other than our own Sun. Most of these planets have been discovered and studied indirectly, by observing their effects on the stars they orbit, rather than imaging the planets themselves. This leaves many questions related to planet formation and evolution unanswered, including: How do planets form? When and how do planets migrate? What are the typical compositions of exoplanet atmospheres? Dr. Sallum will discuss some of her group’s ongoing work in these areas, aimed at pushing our ability to directly image planets around other stars.

Dr. Steph Sallum – UC Santa Cruz

Dr. Steph Sallum is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz. She is an observational astronomer and instrumentalist who studies exoplanets (planets around stars other than our own Sun) with high resolution imaging, spectroscopy, and interferometry on the world’s largest telescopes. Steph earned her B.S. in Physics and Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science at MIT, and then her Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics at University of Arizona. She was an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow and a UC Chancellor’s fellow at UC Santa Cruz, and then faculty at UC Irvine before returning to UCSC.

Telescope Targets

Tonight’s guests will have the chance to observe:

Great 36″ Refractor
Objects chosen each evening

Nickel 40″ Reflector
Cat’s Eye Nebula

Outside Telescopes
More telescopes will be available outside looking at galaxies, star clusters, and more!

Cat’s Eye Nebula
Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI

Featured Observatory Volunteers & Staff

Hosts

Dr. Lauren Corlies

TBD

History Lecture 1

Ron Bricmont

History Lecture 2

Lauren Corlies

Great Refractor Operators

Kieren Emens

Rolf Weber

Nickel Reflector Operator

Murali Balasubramaniam

Nickel Reflector Control Room

Rick Baldridge

Thanks to all of our volunteers for making this evening possible!

Tips and Additional Information

Refreshments

Snacks and beverages are available at the refreshment table in the main foyer. All proceeds help support the public programs. In the past, we have used proceeds to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), additional wooden benches in the main building, new speakers and amplifiers for the main building hallway, and partial funding of two spotting telescopes by the flag pole.

Dark Adjustment

Your experience at the telescopes will be better if your eyes have had an opportunity to adjust to the dark. For this reason, we try to keep the light levels low in both wings of the main hall.

Lights

Please refrain from use of flash photography or white light flashlights in the domes or adjoining hallway.

Assistance

We strive to make your visit as complete and meaningful as possible. Please let us know if you will need special assistance (for example, if you will have difficulty climbing stairs) by emailing tickets@ucolick.org, so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Our Volunteers

All of Lick Observatory’s public programs are greatly enhanced by the valuable participation of our many dedicated volunteers.

Interested in volunteering? Learn more here!