Cornell honors Sagan’s 90th birthday with celebration of science

On what would have been astronomer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan's 90th birthday, Cornell's Carl Sagan Institutewill celebrate his legacy in an interdisciplinary day of science, music and more as part of the College of Arts and Sciences' Arts Unpluggedseries.

Sagan's longtime collaborator and widow Ann Druyan, an Emmy and Peabody award-winning writer, producer and director, will open the event. Druyan co-wrote the original "Cosmos" series, co-created the motion picture "Contact" and is writer, producer and director of the award-winning second and third seasons of "Cosmos," among other collaborations with Sagan.

The celebration will take place on Nov. 9 from 2 to 6:15 p.m. in Call Auditorium in Kennedy Hall. A livestream will be hosted by eCornell; register here. A livestream will also be available on YouTube, with no registration required. Additional events will be held throughout the day, including family activities in the morning.

"Carl Sagan continues to inspire our search for life in the cosmos, with research at the Carl Sagan Institute carrying his legacy into the future. We invite everyone to celebrate this special occasion with us on Nov. 9," said Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute and associate professor of astronomy (A&S), who will moderate the event.

The Carl Sagan Institute, based on the pioneering work of Sagan, was founded to find life in the universe and features an interdisciplinary team from across the university. On Nov. 9, team members from A&S, Cornell Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) will share their latest research, including the newest results of the James Webb Space Telescope's search for exoplanets, how to find life in the cosmos, an update on the Cornell light sail that will deploy from the International Space Station, and an exploration of the music of the Voyager's Golden Record in a modern context.

Video birthday wishes from people Sagan inspired will be shared, including some surprises, Kaltenegger said. Members of the public are also invited to share their own birthday wishes and tributes to Sagan, via a submission system that will be unveiled soon on the institute's social media platforms.

Morning activities will feature the Physics Bus and an open house at the Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility(SPIF).

The celebration is co-sponsored by the Department of Astronomy (A&S), Cornell Engineering and CALS.

Other events on campus that will celebrate Sagan's legacy include a talk on the search for intelligent lifeon Nov. 8, and public open houses at Fuertes Observatory on Nov. 8 from 8-11 p.m. and Nov. 9 from, 10 a.m. to noon, all hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society. An interactive map of the Sagan Planet Walk, an initiative of the Sciencenter, has also been created by research assistant Gillis Lowry '24.

Cornell Cinema will host "Making 'Contact' with Extraterrestrial Worlds at Cornell and Beyond" on Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m., as part of its ongoing Science on Screen series. Kaltenegger will introduce the film "Contact" with a discussion of the search for life in the cosmos and our human fascination with communicating with nonhuman worlds. Celebratory cupcakes will be served in honor of Sagan's 90th birthday.

To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please email Kathy Hovis as soon as possible at [email protected].

Linda B. Glaser is news and media relations manager for the College of Arts and Sciences.

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