Free Astronomy Public Lectures

Presented by Prof. Jeremy Mould on 7th May 2015.

The skies of northern Chile are considered the best in the world for astronomy at visible through millimetre wavelengths. Most of the observatories are in the Norte Chico and Atacama regions. Cerro Paranal Observatory is the largest in the world. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array is an international astronomical facility composed of a group of up to 66 radio antennae working together 5000 meters above sea level in the hghlands (Llano de Chajnantor) of the Andes Mountain Range, 50 kms from San Pedro de Atacama. ALMA is the most global astronomical project. Under development is the LSST - Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The project, which brings together 19 universities and laboratories is under construction on Cerro Pachon and will be able to view, weekly, the entire visible Universe using a digital camera of 3000 million pixels. Cerro Armazones, 3,060 meters in height, situated in the Atacama desert some 130 km south of Antofagasta, Chile, is the site chosen for the largest telescope in the world -known as European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). Las Campanas observatory is operated by Carnegie Institution of Washington, and its location is 2,500 meters above sea level. It will host the Giant Magellan Telescope. Australian astronomers are participating in its construction.

Presented by Prof. Karl Glazebrook on 10th April 2015.

The Universe began in the Big Bang now firmly established at 13.7 billion years ago. But then what? How did the hot expanding hydrogen of the early Universe turn in to the magnificent tapestry of the Universe we see around us? In this lecture I will tell the story of the galaxies, the building blocks of our Universe and how modern observations from large telescopes on the ground and in space have literally let us see how the galaxies have grown up from small wisps to the beautiful structures in which we live today, and revealed their ultimate future.

Presented by Prof. Karl Glazebrook on 10th April 2015.

The Universe began in the Big Bang now firmly established at 13.7 billion years ago. But then what? How did the hot expanding hydrogen of the early Universe turn in to the magnificent tapestry of the Universe we see around us? In this lecture I will tell the story of the galaxies, the building blocks of our Universe and how modern observations from large telescopes on the ground and in space have literally let us see how the galaxies have grown up from small wisps to the beautiful structures in which we live today, and revealed their ultimate future.

Presented by James Benford on 13th March 2015.

Messaging to Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (METI) is an issue dividing those who want to announce our presence to the cosmos by broadcasting to the nearer stars and those who advocate international consultations on the societal risk of such transmissions. METI is the opposite of searching (SETI). METI transmissions to date are faint and very unlikely to be detected. If we do send messages, who should speak for us and what should they say? Should individuals and groups capable of announcing Earth civilization to the galaxy talk it over first? Recent development for starship probes to visit the stars will be briefly discussed

Presented by James Benford on 13th March 2015.

Messaging to Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (METI) is an issue dividing those who want to announce our presence to the cosmos by broadcasting to the nearer stars and those who advocate international consultations on the societal risk of such transmissions. METI is the opposite of searching (SETI). METI transmissions to date are faint and very unlikely to be detected. If we do send messages, who should speak for us and what should they say? Should individuals and groups capable of announcing Earth civilization to the galaxy talk it over first? Recent development for starship probes to visit the stars will be briefly discussed

Presented by David J. Wilner on 13 February 2015.

Where did the Earth come from? How can we know? How can particles no larger than those in smoke come together to make a planet thousands of kilometers wide? Amazingly, radio telescope observations of material surrounding infant stars are starting to show us signs of planet formation in action. This talk will introduce some of the basic ideas and open questions of planet formation, starting with naked eye observations and proceeding to the latest images from giant radio telescopes, including the new international Atacama Large Millimeter Array of 66 antennas sited at 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile.

Presented by Dr Katherine Mack on 7th December 2014.

Everything humanity has ever seen or experienced represents a tiny speck in a vast and mysterious Universe. What else is out there, and how are we figuring it out? What puzzles still wait to be solved? Come with your questions about dark matter, dark energy, black holes, or the ultimate fate of the Universe as we delve into some of cosmology's most fundamental questions.

Presented by Dr Katherine Mack on 7th December 2014.

Everything humanity has ever seen or experienced represents a tiny speck in a vast and mysterious Universe. What else is out there, and how are we figuring it out? What puzzles still wait to be solved? Come with your questions about dark matter, dark energy, black holes, or the ultimate fate of the Universe as we delve into some of cosmology's most fundamental questions.

Presented by Assoc Prof. Virginia Kilborn on 7th November 2014.

Hydrogen gas is one of the main components in a galaxy like our own Milky Way - but we can't see it when we gaze into the night sky. I will take you on a journey of the unseen parts of our Galaxy - and others like it - using sensitive observations taken with Australia's best radio telescopes. I will explain how astronomers use observations of hydrogen gas to determine the history, and predict the future, of galaxies in the universe.

Presented by Assoc Prof. Virginia Kilborn on 7th November 2014.

Hydrogen gas is one of the main components in a galaxy like our own Milky Way - but we can't see it when we gaze into the night sky. I will take you on a journey of the unseen parts of our Galaxy - and others like it - using sensitive observations taken with Australia's best radio telescopes. I will explain how astronomers use observations of hydrogen gas to determine the history, and predict the future, of galaxies in the universe.