Speaker Series: Astrophysics

Speaker: Andrew Couperus, Smith College
May 9, 2026
5:00 – 5:45 pm

The Most Common Stars in the Universe You’ve Never Seen Before

The vast majority of stars in the universe are much smaller than our Sun. These tiny-but-feisty flamethrowers can fry orbiting planets and unleash havoc upon any life possibly living there. Join us to learn about these common small stars, why and how they vary in brightness, and how well we can (or can’t…) predict their bad behavior.

Andrew Couperus is an observational astronomer and Visiting Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Smith College in Northampton, MA. He studies the behaviors of nearby tiny stars to inform how they might impact the potential habitability of orbiting exoplanets. He also regularly teaches and talks about climate change from an astronomical perspective.

Tickets & Important Information

Time: Second Saturday of every month, 5:00 pm
Duration: Approximately 40 minutes
Cost: $6 for members, $7 for non-members (per person). General museum admission will not be charged for attendees arriving after 4:30 pm on Speaker Series days.
Location: Alden Planetarium
Age Range: All ages are welcome. Recommended 15+

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