With Associate Professor David Coward
Tickets:
Adult: $30
Concession: $25
Child (5 to 17): $20
Are we ready for the next Chelyabinsk?
How do we find “City Destroyers” before they find us?
Join us for an unmissable summer lecture with Associate Professor David Coward, one of Australia’s leading experts in planetary defence, asteroid detection, and space situational awareness.
Professor Coward’s career spans gravitational-wave science, gamma-ray bursts, black hole formation, and the development of cutting-edge robotic telescopes. He was part of the global team that made the first-ever detection of gravitational waves, a landmark discovery recognised with the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Physics.
As project lead for the Zadko Telescope, he helped establish Western Australia as a world-class centre for transient astronomy, capturing everything from the first light of colliding neutron stars to high-velocity space debris streaking over Australia.
More recently, Professor Coward has worked closely with the NASA Planetary Defence Office and the International Asteroid Warning Network, contributing expertise to real-world asteroid impact planning and response. Through the Southern Hemisphere Asteroid Research Consortium (SHARC), he is helping to locate hazardous 50–100 m asteroids that could strike Earth with little warning.
If anyone can explain what’s out there and how we protect our planet, it’s him.
🌤️ Please note:
This event will take place on the Observatory’s back lawn, weather permitting. Bring blankets and warm clothing so you can relax and enjoy the evening in comfort.
Don’t miss this fascinating deep dive into the science of safeguarding Earth. Book your tickets now and join us under the stars!
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