Hosted by Rob Sparks.

Description: The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at Kitt Peak National Observatory has been collecting spectra of millions of galaxies to better understand dark energy, the mysterious force that is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. The DESI collaboration recently released results based on the first three years of data that indicate dark energy is not a constant force. In this podcast, NOIRLab's Joan Najita discusses DESI and its groundbreaking results.

Bios:

Rob Sparks is in the Communications, Education and Engagement group at NSF's NOIRLab in Tucson, Arizona.

Dr. Joan Najita is an astronomer at NOIRLab, NSF's research and development center for ground-based optical and infrared astronomy. She studies the origins of stars and planets and the life histories of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. A long-time advocate for "highly multiplexed spectroscopy" (i.e., facilities like DESI), she also studies how discoveries are made in astronomy, and works to develop new tools and facilities that sustain discovery.

Links:

NORLab Press Release: https://noirlab.edu/public/news/noirlab2512/

DESI's public webpage: https://www.desi.lbl.gov/

- DESI's YouTube channel, which features playlists of DESI talks from the March 2025 APS meeting and additional talks showcasing the BAO results: https://www.youtube.com/@DESISurvey

- Access the DESI data release through Astro Data Lab https://datalab.noirlab.edu/desi/index.php

NOIRLab social media channels can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/NOIRLabAstro

https://twitter.com/NOIRLabAstro

https://www.instagram.com/noirlabastro/

https://www.youtube.com/noirlabastro

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