Dr. Alexandra Yep will return to the Martz-Kohl Observatory at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, to present “The Study of Stars: Tools of Discovery and How We Use Them.”

Yep will share insights into the lifecycle of stars and demystify the instruments astronomers employ to decode the stars.

Yep brings a unique perspective to the field as a poet turned astronomer. After earning her BFA in creative writing from Emerson College in Boston, Mass., she transitioned into the sciences, earning her masters degree in physics from California State University, Northridge, in 2016 and her Ph.D. in astronomy from Georgia State University in 2021. Yep is a visiting professor at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Ga., where she teaches physics and astronomy, conducts research on young star clusters, and directs the historic Bradley Observatory.

Yep’s talk will take place live at the Martz-Kohl Observatory and will also be available online via Zoom. The public is encouraged to attend in person to meet Yep and the observatory’s astronomy team. Admission is free and donations are appreciated. The evening will include a post-talk question and answer session followed by guided tours of the facility. Visitors are advised to dress for the local weather, as the telescope domes are not climate-controlled. If skies are clear, the event will conclude with public viewing opportunities through the observatory’s large-aperture telescopes.

For Zoom access links and more information, visit: martzobservatory.org