James E. Gunn, PhD, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Astronomy at Princeton University, will discuss "Cosmology: A Fifty-Year Perspective," on Dec. 15 at 9 p.m. in the Guttenberg Information Technologies Center, Rm. 3720/3730 at NJIT. The talk will follow the Amateur Astronomers, Inc. club membership meeting at 8 p.m. >>

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will make available live color photos illustrating the rare Transit of Mercury. Big Bear Solar Observatory, Big Bear, Calif., managed and operated by NJIT, will begin capturing these images at 2 p.m. E.S.T. using its 6 inch (15 centimeter) Singer Full-Disk Telescope. The telescope will use a special filter to look at chromosphere, a layer in the solar atmosphere about a thousand miles above the sun’s visible surface. >>

The public is invited to witness the rare occurrence of Mercury passing in front of the Sun as seen from Earth on Nov. 8 from about 2 p.m. until dusk (weather permitting) with the Astronomy Club of NJIT. Club advisor Carsten Denker, PhD, assistant professor in the department of physics at NJIT, will have two professional telescopes available for viewing then. >>

If you’re still wondering why Pluto is no longer a planet, head over Friday night to the weekly meeting of the Amateur Astronomers, Inc. in Cranford. Astrophysicist Dale Gary, PhD, professor and chair of the physics department at NJIT will decode the mystery of recent events in Prague. Gary speaks at 8:30 p.m. at the William Miller Sperry Observatory at Union County College. >>

Sorinel Oprisan, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the College of Charleston, will discuss "A Computational Model of Dopamine Neuron " on May 2 at 4 p.m., Cullimore Hall Room 611. >>

Amateur astronomers can learn an assortment of information ranging from what it’s like to work with the Hubble telescope to the pleasures of star-gazing with high-power professional equipment at New Jersey’s annual Astronomy Day on May 6 in Hackettstown. >>

NJIT is offering a summer class in astronomy and physics for high school students who love the subjects and are considering careers in the fields. During the two-day class—held June 27-28 on the NJIT campus—high school sophomores and juniors will learn about careers in physics and astronomy, do hands-on science projects and learn from prominent NJIT physicists and astronomers. >>