ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
				&
		IEEE LASERS AND ELECTROOPTICS SOCIETY


			October 30, 1997 Meeting

Date:  Thursday, October 30, 1997
Time:  7:oo pm Cookies, etc., 7:30pm talk
Place: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Room 1107
       325 Broadway, Boulder, CO

	Have We Discovered Life on Mars?

		Dr. Dennis Ebbet
		Ball Aerospace

Abstract:

The planet Mars has held a special place in our imaginations since ancient
times.  In the 19th and early 20th centuries, astronomers thought they had
detected "canals," and by implication, the existence of canal diggers and 
users.  The first spacecraft flew by the planet in the 1960's and photographed
an apparently barren and lifeless desert.  In 1977, the Viking landers 
searched for, but did not detect, signs of life.  Recently, scientists have
reported that a meteorite found in Antarctica appears to have come from Mars
and may show chemical traces and fossil remains of ancient life.  The results
are intriguing, but tentative, and scientists are actively debating their
interpretation.  This talk will give an historical overview, discuss the 
current status of the debate, and describe plans for future exploration of 
the red planet.

Biography:

Dennis Ebbets is a Systems Engineer at Ball Aerospace Systems Division in
Boulder, Colorado. Since joining Ball in 1985 he has worked primarily on 
science instruments for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and on design studies 
for instruments for other NASA and NOAA  missions. He is a member of the 
Investigation Definition Team for the Hubble Telescope, participating in 
both the calibration activities and astronomical research program of the
observatory. Dr. Ebbets holds an undergraduate degree in physics from West
Virginia Wesleyan College and a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University 
of Colorado. He is active in several professional societies, including the
American Astronomical Society, and the Society of Photo-optical 
Instrumentation Engineers. Dennis enjoys the opportunities to communicate 
the scientific results of NASA programs to the public, and is a frequent
speaker at schools, service clubs and professional organizations. He resides
in Boulder with his wife and three children.