The Keene Public Library will host local science educator and amateur astronomer Susan Rolke for a fascinating program that takes the audience high into the Andes Mountains of Chile, where some of the world’s most powerful telescopes are opening new windows into the universe. The talk, “From the Andes to the Stars: Exploring Chile’s Vera Rubin Observatory and ALMA. 

Rolke was recently named one of just 10 individuals worldwide selected for the prestigious Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassadors Program (ACEAP). Rolke will share her unique experiences while highlighting the critical role Rubin and ALMA will play in the future of astronomy, from uncovering the origins of the universe to mapping the ever-changing night sky in ways never before possible. Very few people outside of professional astronomers will ever step inside these facilities, but Rolke will bring her audience along for the journey.