Neil F. Comins, Ph.D.

Professor of Physics
The University of Maine

Our solar system (the Sun and everything that orbits it) formed billions of years after the universe came into existence. Between the beginning of time and the beginning of the solar system, matter changed dramatically. Those changes were essential for life as we know it to exist. On Thursday, December 15, join Dr. Comins for an exploration of the universe’s evolution in the context of creating the solar system and forming life.

Neil is an astronomer/astrophysicist on the faculty of the University of Maine. His early work in theoretical general relativity was cited in Chandrasekhar’s 1983 Nobel Prize lecture. He also worked in experimental general relativity, as well as doing observational astronomy and theoretical work on the evolutions of galaxies like our Milky Way. He is the author of 21 published astronomy trade and textbooks. His trade book, What if the Moon Didn’t Exist? has been made into planetarium and theater shows and was the theme to Mitsubishi’s pavilion at the 2005 World Expo Aichi, in Nagoya, Japan. He has taught at the University of Maine since 1978. He and his wife live in Bangor. 

The public is invited to join the program in-person and virtually. To receive the Zoom link, email Haley at education@wilsonmuseum.org with the subject line “Solar System Origins.”

This program is part of the Starlight: A Guide Throughout Time segment of the Wilson Museum’s Connecting to Collections program series made possible through the generous support of Bangor Savings Bank.