“Searching for Planets Beyond the Solar System” is the focus of an astronomy program on Thursday, February 4 at 7 p.m. at the Visitors Center at Renfrew Park in Waynesboro. The program, which is free and open to the public, is presented by Dr. Larry Marschall, W.K.T. Sahm Professor of Physics at Gettysburg College.

Exploration of planets beyond those familiar to us is a growing area of study for sky-watchers. “In the past decade and a half, almost 400 planets have been discovered beyond the edges of our solar system,” Marschall said.

Marschall’s talk will show how astronomers have been able to detect these distant worlds after searching in vain for many years prior to 1995. The program will describe what we know about the “extrasolar” planets, and what we have learned about the origins of our own solar system by studying them.

Marschall has a bachelor’s degree in engineering physics from Cornell University and a Ph.D in astronomy and astrophysics from University of Chicago.

A professor of astronomy and physics for many years, Marschall was a visiting research scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and at Yale University Observatory. He authored a much-acclaimed book, The Supernova Story, published by Princeton University Press, and is a contributing editor for Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine and for several other professional journals.

A question-and-answer session will follow Marschall’s presentation.

This program was arranged by Renfrew Institute’s adult/teen education committee in cooperation with the Tri-State Astronomers, and is underwritten in part by Today’s Horizon Fund contributors, PenMar Development Corp., Nora Roberts Foundation and an anonymous donor. Facility support is provided courtesy of Renfrew Museum and Park.

Limited parking is available behind the Visitors Center, with additional parking in Renfrew’s lower lot off Welty Road. Parking for those with special needs is available in front of the Visitors Center. For more information, call the institute at 762-0373.