BY KAREN BOSSICK

Learn about recent advances in planet formulation and the way ALMA is allowing astronomers to probe the lives of stars tonight.

Then join the Idaho Dark Sky Alliance in a guided stargazing night at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden.

Dr. Charles Law, a NASA Hubble Fellowship Program Sagan Fellow at the University of Virginia, will offer a free presentation titled “A Revolution in Planet Formation: The ALMA Era and Beyond” tonight at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Hailey Town Center West.

Law’s research focuses on the chemistry of star and planet formation. It uses high spatial resolutions observations from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to characterize the chemical and physical environments in which young planets are forming.

After the presentation, join Law, AmeriCorps Night Sky Conservationist Leah Rogers and local astronomers in an evening of stargazing at 7:30 p.m. at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden. Telescope viewing will be available as experts help stargazers identify stars, planets and seasonal constellations.

The seminar and stargazing are co-sponsored by the Idaho Dark Sky Alliance, Hailey Public Library, Sawtooth Botanical Garden and Boise State University.

If conditions are unfavorable, updates will be posted on the Idaho Dark Sky Instagram and Facebook pages.