A Universe of Earths - Science and the Concept of the Planet Earth
Schedule
Wed Mar 25 2026 at 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Cincinnati Observatory | Norwood, OH
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Presenter: Christopher Graney - Vatican ObservatoryPlanet Earth has been a familiar concept for a mere fraction of recorded history. Until about the mid-1600s, most humans thought of Earth as immobile, likely either dim or simply invisible from the Moon or anywhere else in the heavens, and not (like the planets) participating in what Galileo called "the dance of the stars." But almost as soon as humans started to grasp that Earth is a planet, many also began wondering if perhaps the other planets might be earths. This bold conjecture ignited the whole gripping history and literature of space travel, of extraterrestrials, of other worlds. This talk will be based on material in the new book from Oxford University Press, A Universe of Earths: Our Planet and Other Worlds, from Copernicus to NASA by Dennis Danielson and Christopher M. Graney, and in their related article in the March 2026 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine.
Speaker bio: Christopher M. Graney is an astronomer and historian of science at the Specola Vaticana (the Vatican’s astronomical observatory) and the Vatican Observatory Foundation. He is the author of four books and numerous scholarly and popular articles on the history of astronomy. Mr. Graney will be available for book sales and signing before and after the event.
Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.
Classes will be held in-person at the observatory. Pricing details are below:
Non-members
$25/class
Members
$20/class
Student (with valid ID)
$10/class
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Where is it happening?
Cincinnati Observatory, 3489 Observatory Pl,Cincinnati, Norwood, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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