Please join us for the Astronomy Public Talk series, where we host short, accessible talks on a wide range of astronomy and physics-related topics—free and open to the public! This event will feature a presentation by UI Physics and Astronomy graduate student John Momberg, who will explore how astronomers have historically used variable stars—particularly Cepheids—to measure cosmic distances and ultimately determine the size and scale of the universe.

A public observing session at the Van Allen Observatory will immediately follow this talk, weather permitting.