The Supernovea will be the primary topic of professor Chuck Higgins’ Dec. 7 MTSU Star Party. (Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA)

Department of Physics and Astronomy professor Chuck Higgins will explore the Supernovae during the Friday, Dec. 7, First Friday Star Party.

Higgins’ presentation is titled “Supernovae: Nature’s Brightest Candles.” It will be held starting at 6:30 p.m. in Wiser-Patten Science Hall Room 102. The event is free and open to the public. MTSU students, faculty and staff and children are welcome.

After Higgins’ 30- to 45-minute talk and weather permitting, participants will go outdoors to utilize telescopes set up at the observatory.

Free parking is available for Star Party attendees behind Wiser-Patten.

To reach the parking lot, turn off of East Main Street onto Baird Lane. Turn right onto Alumni Drive, and then turn left onto Friendship Drive adjacent to the construction site for the new Science Building. When the road starts to curve, turn left into the parking lot. Handicap parking requires a state permit.

A printable campus map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTParkingMap12-13.

For more information contact Higgins at 615-898-5946, Dr. Eric Klumpe at 615-898-2483 or call the physics and astronomy office at 615-898-2130.

Physics and astronomy is one of 10 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)