The Many Colors of Galaxies:
YOU Can Help NASA Decode the Cosmos

This talk will be shown on our big screen at the Martz-Kohl Observatory and available online via Zoom. You are encouraged to come to the observatory to meet Sadie Coffin, as well as the astronomy team at MKO, to join in what could be a lively Q&A after the talk. Facility tours will follow. Dress appropriately for the weather as if you were outside. The classroom is heated but the domes are not.

How do galaxies grow and change over time, and how can we tell from just a few lines of light? At an upcoming presentation, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) astrophysicist and PhD candidate Sadie Coffin will explain how the lines in galaxy spectra serve as records of the Universe’s history—the closest thing we have to a time machine looking back at the early cosmos. By identifying these spectral features, astronomers can measure key properties of distant galaxies to track how they interact, evolve, and form stars.

Coffin’s research combines spectroscopy with citizen science through Redshift Wrangler, a NASA-funded initiative she designed and leads. The project utilizes volunteer classifications to study distant galaxy systems. During the talk, Coffin will explain why professional astronomers need the public’s help, how collaborating with volunteers benefits cutting-edge research, and how anyone can contribute to major discoveries in astronomy from the comfort of their own home.

Sadie Coffin is a fifth-year PhD candidate in Astrophysical Sciences and Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she works with Dr. Jeyhan Kartaltepe to study galaxy evolution. Her dissertation centers on the intersection of spectroscopy and participatory science. A passionate science communicator, Coffin is a recipient of the prestigious NASA Future Investigators in Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) award for her work using citizen science to identify galaxy pairs. She also served as a NASA/AAPS Citizen Science Leaders Series Fellow, working to expand the role of public participation in astronomical research. Coffin frequently leads community outreach events and is dedicated to making big-science research open, accessible, and inclusive for everyone.

Zoom Meeting

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Time: June 17, 2026 at 7:30 PM, Eastern Time

Topic: Sadie Coffin
Meeting ID:  871 9223 3484
Passcode: program

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One Click Link: June 2026 Zoom Link

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