Galaxies have long captured the awe of philosophers and scientists, leading to the establishment of astronomy as society's very first science. As the oldest field of science, astronomy has played an integral part in all cultures and civilizations, by which it has been used to measure time, navigate the oceans, and develop new technologies. After millennia of observation, the night sky remains an enigma to many, as we are only beginning to comprehend how to ask the right questions. Resolving some of these questions will help us develop into citizens of the universe, so join us as speakers explain how the Milky Way and other galaxies begin, end, interact, and everything in between.
NOTE: This event is 21+
Dr. Mark Richardson
Understanding Galaxies with Simulations
Galaxies change over timescales far longer than the lifetime of an astronomer. Thus physical simulations play a key part in our understanding of why galaxies look the way they do. I will give a brief history of using simulations to study galactic encounters. I will then discuss my work studying eruptions of gas from galaxies, launched in the explosive deaths of giant stars. These eruptions keep galaxies from getting too big, making simulated galaxies more akin to those seen in nature.
Nicholas Stone
Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places: Close Encounters in the Centers of Galaxies
Galactic centers are unique astrophysical environments, where dense swarms of stars orbit supermassive black holes that are millions of times heavier than our own Sun. In the gravitational blender of a galactic center, stars and black holes experience frequent close encounters, with consequences ranging from the romantic to the catastrophic. I will discuss how astronomers find evidence of these close passages in the center of the Milky Way, and in galaxies thousands of times more distant.
Dr. Kelly Reidy
Kelly Reidy is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute. She leads offbeat museum tours and writes ukulele songs about love and mathematics.