Field Trip to Lick Observatory

Let's use a visit to Lick Observatory as a springboard for an Ethical-Culture-style discussion about science in America past, present and especially future. How will NASA's shared public goals play out amid the burgeoning private interests in big science today? And what impact will that have on the nation's future and culture? ECSSV Consulting Leader Curt Collier will facilitate as we stroll the mountaintop and enjoy a picnic lunch - bring your own - after touring the refractor telescope dome.

We'll meet at in San Jose and take the hour-long ride together* (carpools or rented vans) up the winding road to the Observatory. We'll catch the 12:30 free talk in the 36-inch telescope dome. Then we'll break out our picnic lunches while enjoying the view and talking science. After that we'll stroll to other points of interest on the mountaintop research campus, sharing our perspectives. It's a long outing, but much of that time is for getting up and down the mountain.

Timing:

• 11:00 AM meet at the Hillview Branch Library in San Jose (meet in the parking lot)
• 11:15 depart for the top of Mt. Hamilton (~1 hour ride)
• 12:15 arrive and park at the Observatory (parking lot by main building)
• 12:30 Free talk by Lick staff inside the Great Refractor dome
• 1:15 Picnic lunch - bring your own - with discussion led by Curt Collier
• 2:00 Stroll around; enter the Shane Dome to see the 120-inch reflector (one of the telescopes used to first discover extrasolar planets)
• 3:00 Depart Lick Parking Lot
• 4:00 Arrive back at Hillview Branch Library

Notes:

• RSVP by Thursday, 2/6 please
• *We'll rent one or more vans if enough people RSVP and we'll ask for contributions to share the cost. Otherwise we'll simply carpool. Optionally, you can drive yourself and meet us on the mountaintop at 12:15, but it's more fun to ride together.
• Dress warmly in layers because it can be chilly at 4200 feet.
• Bring your own brown-bag lunch for the picnic.

For more information about Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley, visit our website at: ecssv.org ([http://ecssv.org/](http://ecssv.org/)) and see our other events on Meetup ([https://www.meetup.com/Ethical-Culture-Society-of-Silicon-Valley/)](https://www.meetup.com/Ethical-Culture-Society-of-Silicon-Valley/))