By Richard LeComte
LEXINGTON, Ky, -- The University of Kentucky’s College of Arts and Sciences is presenting three SkyTalks in the upcoming weeks courtesy of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the MacAdam Student Observatory.
SkyTalks feature UK faculty members delivering a 40-minute presentation followed by a chance to visit the MacAdam observatory, depending on the weather.
Here are three upcoming events:
7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, Chem-Phys Room 287: “Wham, Bamb, Earth in a Jam? Near Earth Asteroids and a Close Shave for 2032," presented by Tom Troland, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
A recently discovered asteroid will make a close passage by Earth on December 22, 2032. Will it hit Earth? Very likely not, but it will be a close shave. This chunk of solar system debris, estimated to be 100 to 300 feet across, is classified as a Near Earth Asteroid.
“Some 65 million years ago, a near-Earth asteroid struck the Earth, leading to the demise of most dinosaurs, and, perhaps, to the rise of mammals," Troland said. “Should we lose sleep over the threat of NEAs? Come to this talk to find out.”
7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, Room TBD: “Exploring the Most Distant Corners of the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope” with Ryan Sanders, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy.
The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful space telescope ever built, launched three years ago. This talk will focus on what scientists have learned about the farthest reaches of the cosmos, charting the early history of the universe and searching for the first generation of galaxies.
“Why is JWST so well suited to search for distant galaxies?” Sanders said. "How do we tell how far away a galaxy is from us? What is the most distant galaxy discovered to date? How can distant galaxies act as a 'time machine into the past history of the universe? These questions and more will be answered as we take a trip from our home in the Milky Way galaxy to the furthest reaches of space.”
7 p.m. Thursday, May 8, Chem-Phys Room 287: “How to Bake a Universe” with Yuanyuan Su, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
“In this recipe, I will share the steps to bake the universe,” Su said. “It begins as an infinitely hot, dense dough and expands into the universe we live in today, ready to be served at room temperature. The baking time is approximately 14 billion years. I will highlight key moments in this process, including the formation of the first sprinkles (stars), and explore the possible future of our universe. Don’t forget to bring the most important ingredient with you: nothing.”
Each event can be accessed online. The zoom and YouTube link for each month will be posted here: https://observatory.as.uky.edu/ skytalk . Or you can follow our YouTube channel here: https:// www.youtube.com/@macadamobservatory6696.