
Live Stream
Moiya McTier: Understanding the Milky Way
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The Milky Way—its hundred billion stars, supermassive black holes and countless unsolved mysteries—is as intriguing as it is colossal. And for astrophysicist Dr. Moiya McTier, merely studying it is not enough, as she combines myth and science into a whimsical, fanciful and fascinating “autobiography” of our home galaxy.
Dr. McTier holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from Columbia University and studies astrophysics as well as folklore and mythology at Harvard University. In her latest book, The Milky Way, McTier takes on the role of the titular galaxy and delivers a “juicy tell all” of its formation, growth, history and relationship with its surrounding galaxies. Sharing fascinating tales ranging from out intergalactic rivals to the time the Milky Way was once in love, McTier breaks down advanced astronomy into playful, simple and easily understood chunks.
Join us, as Dr. Moiya McTier shares the never-before-told personal story of the colossal place we call home, and helps us understand better the universe around us.
This is an online-only program; pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event.
Copies of The Milky Way are available for purchase at checkout (U.S. domestic shipping only).
A Technology & Society Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.
In association with Wonderfest.
McTier photo by Mindy Tucker.
All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.
The Commonwealth Club of California
United States

Dr. Moiya McTier
Ph.D., Astrophysicist; Folklorist; Author, The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy; Twitter @GoAstroMo

Gerald Harris
President, Quantum Planning Group; Chair, Technology & Society Member-led Forum, The Commonwealth Club of California—Moderator
3–4 p.m. program
(all times PDT)
COST
Online:
$5 members
$27 members with book
$10 nonmembers
$33 nonmembers with book