Hi,

In 1994 (I think, but it may have been 1995) I was only in Junior High School, when I went to a lecture given to the public by the late Carl Sagan, which was at the University at Albany, New York.

He was promoting Pale Blue Dot, which he read from. I remember meeting him briefly afterward, and had I known how "big" he was or how little time he would remain with us, I would have spent more time and tried to get a picture and a few more words in. He didn't act "big" and was very welcoming to all the public he talked to and even me, a young kid who just liked looking at stars.

I do remember a lot about the lecture, but unfortionately I don't know much about exactly when it was (I believe 1994, but may have been 95). I would love to have any photos or recordings (if they exist at all), or at the very least be able to pin down the date.

However, I have looked all over the net and cannot find anything.

Does anyone know where such info on his lecture series may be found?

(I'm not even positive it was U-Albany. I'm pretty sure it was but I could be mistaking another Albany NY college. I was young and this was a VERY long time ago)

There was a book that was just published which was based on some Sagans lectures but I can not think of the title. If Iwas at home I could just go to the book shelf and give it to you. You could go to the planetary society and they might have some info for you.

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If it's just us, it seems like an awful waste of space.
Contact Carl Sagan

heres a link to the Carl Sagan portal.
http://www.carlsagan.com/
And one to the planetary society.
http://www.planetary.org/home/

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If it's just us, it seems like an awful waste of space.
Contact Carl Sagan

Hmm. Tried them both. Wrote an email to carlsagan.com and hopefully I should hear back soon

hopefully you will get response soon.

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If it's just us, it seems like an awful waste of space.
Contact Carl Sagan

I have the book "The Varieties of Scientific Experience - A Personal Search for God". I think I have the title correct, although I don't have it in front of me. It was edited by Ann Druyan, his wife, and was based on a series of Gifford Lectures he gave around 1985. I have yet to read much of it though, because I am currently reading several other books by Sagan/Druyan, including Pale Blue Dot, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, and Dragons of Eden.

A recent Skeptic magazine issue (not the current one) had an excerpt from the "Varieties...." book, which was great reading. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

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Dennis Z
It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring - Carl Sagan

I forgot to mention that the book "Varieties of Scientific Experience..." is available (and inexpensively) from Amazon and many other bookstores.

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Dennis Z
It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring - Carl Sagan

The recent book is excellent. I only wish - since the book is transcribed from his lectures - that we could get the audio of the lectures on CD/DVD. It would be great.

I've got his Cosmos set ripped to my iPod, and play it often.

A Carl Sagan lecture given in Seattle in 1994

http://www.pointofinquiry.org/?p=68

The mp3 can be down loaded.

I hope so, too, but I wrote a letter to Ms. Druyan back in June and got nothing back. Maybe I wrote my address wrong.

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Kai's home computer is broken and her posting may be eratic for a while - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

DrBuzzo. Nice touching memory of Carl....try to phone the university where you think the lecture was, and ask for the Dept of Physics (they say it backwards these days), and the secretary or administrative assistant who coordinates all guest speakers. Then ask her for the past date....as the one who brought him in, and he being so famous, she'll probably know off the top of her head, or have it on file and can e-mail you the summary of the lecture, place, time, date, etc. Say "Thank You....with a personal card"....pete

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A third rate theory forbids
A second rate theory explains after the fact
A first rate theory predicts...A. Lomonosov

Carl Sagan went my school in Brooklyn NY PS 101 in Bensonhurst Brooklyn when he was a child.
In (I think it was) 1979 I was in 6th grade, Carl Sagan came to our class as that was his 6th grade classroom. They taped a Cosmo episode in our class ( Episode The Backbone of Night) I remember my school principal was going crazy telling us to behave ourselves in a nice fashion as "Carl" was coming. I had no idea what or who he was talking about. All I remember that he was a nice man that brought us pictures of the moons and planets. Geesh, If I only knew then, what I know now, I would have been really excited about meeting him, but what does a 10 year old know

As far as the lectures go you can try www.smartflix.com they do have some lectures there that you can rent (its like netflix) they do have some interesting ones by Dr Neil Tyson, I love his Black Hole stories.

Let me know if you find the lectures

Such awesomeness! Tell me what color your shirt was and I'll throw my copy in the DVD player and look for you.

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Kai's home computer is broken and her posting may be eratic for a while - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

I Think it was blue, I have to look at the episode, Some of the stuff that was going on was taped but edited and not aired, all those kids in the episode were my childhood buddies. I laugh when I see it because you can hear our Brooklyn accents. My husband asks me " Why doesnt Carl Sagan have that Brooklyn Accent"

It was great because after the classroom lesson, our school had Carl Sagan on the stage in the auditorium teaching us about the universe, each grade had a set time for the space lesson. Imagine that, I had an actual lecture from Carl Sagan and I probably paid no attention, I probably wanted to go home and play with my friends. As Jackie Gleason once said in a honeymooners episode "youth is wasted on the young", that is true. If that was now I would have been taking notes, paying complete attention and have been inspired. But again, at 10 you are interested in such silly things.