Jan Science Cafe- Chris Graney "Are You Smarter Than a 17th-Century Geocentrist"

(FYI, while there are only 11 people RSVPd here, there are actually going to be 40+ at this meetup. See you soon!)

Join us for January Science Cafe featuring Chris Graney and "Are You Smarter Than a 17th-Century Geocentrist?"

(He says you aren’t!)
Giovanni Battista Riccioli was a 17th-century astronomer, of the period between Galileo and Newton, and a highly influential figure in his time. He conducted the first precise experiments to study gravity. He mapped the moon and gave its features the names we now use (the ‘Sea of Tranquility’ where Apollo 11 famously landed was named by him). But what he was perhaps best known for was his defense of geocentrism: that the Earth was immobile at the center of the universe. A Jesuit priest in Italy, Riccioli was a true member of The Establishment, and supported the condemnation of Galileo. Through a remarkable turn of events Fr. Riccioli will be back from the grave — his attitude not much mellowed by four centuries of being dead! — to engage our members in conversation about topics ranging from Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and Galileo; to stars; to history; to whether the Earth moves, of course; to aliens on the moon and Apollo deniers; and to why our members should care about any of this.

Fr. Riccioli is being ‘channeled’ by Chris Graney of Louisville, a Kentucky native who has managed to combine some knowledge of physics and astronomy, some knowledge of Latin, and some internet savvy well enough to see his history of astronomy research be published in a number of scholarly journals over the past few years; to be featured in media outlets such as New Scientist, The Guardian (UK), and Neue Zürcher Zeitung; and even to twice be the headline item on the web site of the journal Nature. But, as plenty of cheesy movies have warned us, when a guy starts digging through old books written in ancient tongues, weird things can happen! The research got a little out of control, obscure Latin phrases were inadvertently spoken, and that is how Riccioli came back to life. When not functioning as a Medium for long-dead astronomer-priests, Graney is a professor at Jefferson Community & Technical College here in Louisville.

We will be downstairs in the cellar. Arrive any time after 6:30. Eat and chat between 7:00 and 8:00. The presentation will begin at 8:00.

You are welcome to come just for the presentation. After the presentation we will hand out doorprizes. As always, Science Cafe is free and open to the public, but we will pass the collection box at the end of the meeting to collect a couple of bucks per person to cover expenses. (You run your own tab and pay for your own dinner.)

Patrick O'Shea's is downtown on Main, between 1st and 2nd, a block from the Yum! Center, and three doors down from Bearno's by the Bridge. We'll be downstairs in the cellar.

There is $5 parking in a lot on the corner of 2nd and Main, and at the Marriott garage. Your best bet may be street parking, which is free after 6pm.

See you there!

Laurie