The recent impact of a large meteor in Russia on Feb. 15, 2013, reminds us that the universe is a very dangerous place. Large impacts are relatively infrequent but they do happen!

Claude A. Pruneau, professor of physics and director of the planetarium and outreach at Wayne State University will present a survey of large meteoritic impacts on Earth and discuss the origins of these large objects. He'll also present a summary of efforts conducted nationally and internationally to detect potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), i.e., asteroids with orbits that bring them periodically near Earth. He'll conclude with a brief discussion of techniques envisioned to avert or mitigate the effects of potential impacts.

When

Friday, May 7, 2013 at 7 p.m.