Event
Astronomy in the blink of an eye: Searching for the fastest events in the Universe
Tuesday, October 19, 2021 19:00to20:00
Join us for our next public lecture, with Dr. Emily Petroff from ±«ÓãÖ±²¥! Come and learn about fast radio bursts, these bright flashes of light from distant galaxies that have captured the world of astronomy over the last decade!
Abstract: Most things in the universe happen over millions or even billions of years but some things change on the timescales of human life and can be seen to change in a matter of months, days, or even seconds. These are some of the most extreme events in the universe, things like the collapse of a dying star, or a collision of two massive objects. Humans have been observing astronomical transients for centuries, from supernovae to gamma ray bursts and, most recently, gravitational waves. In 2007, we discovered a brand-new type of transient called fast radio bursts, bright radio pulses that last only a few milliseconds. Their origin is one of the newest unsolved mysteries of astronomy. I will tell the story of their discovery and some of the most exciting new breakthroughs.
As usual, the event will be taking place over Zoom and livestreamed to youtube.com/Astro±«ÓãÖ±²¥. On Zoom, you'll be able to ask questions out loud or in the chat, whereas on Youtube you'll type them into the comments.
See you on October 19th!