CASPIAN—The Iron County Museum has scheduled a lecture/film on astronomy on Monday, May 12, at 7 p.m. at the museum’s Cultural Center here.

Dr. Albert Holm, who grew up in the local area and who has previously given programs several times at the museum, will present the program, “Distant Worlds, Wondrous Worlds,” using images from space missions and from telescopes on earth to report about some of the exciting findings in our solar system and about the discovery of plants of other suns.

Holm is a graduate with a bachelor of science degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1966 and received a PhD in astronomy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 19971.

He has helped to operate several of NASA’s astronomy missions, including the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-2, the International Ultraviolet Explorer and the Hubble Space Telescope.

In 1983, he joined the staff of the Space Telescope Science Institute, located in Baltimore, Md., where he remains today as branch chief for data processing and archiving.

He served as president of the American Association of Variable Star Observers from1995 to 1997.

“Scientists have been surprised and delighted by many recent discoveries concerning planets, moons, asteroids and the forces that affect them,” said Holm. “Robotic explorers of the solar system are vastly increasing our knowledge about our surroundings.

“Recently, scientists have found lakes on a moon of Saturn, evidence of flowing waters on Mars, and strange looking craters on Mercury. They have shown us the features of planets in unprecedented detail and have brought specks of stardust down to earth.

“At the same time, astronomers have learned how to use telescopes on the earth to discover hundreds of planets orbiting other stars. Many of these newly discovered planets exist in bizarre circumstances very unlike our solar system. Much of what we learn leads to further questions. Big questions remain unanswered. How are solar systems formed? Is there life outside the earth?”

Holm will also be speaking and showing a film entitled, “Black Holes,” to science classes at West Iron County High School. To add to their knowledge, students are also invited to see the second film being shared with the public in the evening.

Holm, son of Carl and Helen Holm, grew up in Bates Township and is a 1962 graduate of Iron River High School. He was Iron County Native Person of the Year in 1998. He resides in Columbia, Md. with his wife, Gail.