The galaxy cluster Abell 2744 contains so many unusual phenomena that astronomers have dubbed it "Pandora's Cluster," after the mythological box said to contain all the world's ills. A galaxy cluster is a large scale structure that contains hundreds to thousands of gravitationally bound galaxies. When galaxy clusters collide they can release energies equivalent to 10,000 supernovae per year for one billion years. By studying these collisions, astronomers can study the behavior of dark matter by its interaction with normal matter.

The Family Herschel, William, Caroline, and John, were the most productive astronomers of their times. They bridged the visual and photographic eras in astronomy, and catalogued thousands of faint, fuzzy objects in the night sky. To the Herschels we owe the terms “infrared,” “asteroid,” and “photography.” William wrote:

“I have looked further into space than ever human being did before me. I have observed stars of which the light, it can be proved, must take two million years to reach the earth.”

And so he did. In this SkyTalk we will visit the highlights of this remarkable family and sample modern images of what they saw in the eyepiece 200 years ago.

 Isaac Newton proposed Universal Gravitation in 1687, when the Principia Mathematica was published. The notion that stars, planets and apples followed the same rules everywhere was, and remains, a novel idea. Newton's theory was suffi-cient until the middle of the 19th century when improved technology exposed inconsistencies. In 1915, Einstein advanced a theory that extended Newton's ideas of gravity. Since then, the most exquisitely subtle experiments have been performed to test Newton and Einstein. To the current limits of precision, these theories have been confirmed. But are they complete?

The University of Kentucky Department of Physics and Astronomy is pleased to welcome the public to our astronomical observatory. Part of our program of public outreach is a presentation on an interesting topic in astronomy followed by a visit to the observatory. The Kentucky SkyTalk is held on the second Thursday of every month.  A 45 minute program on astronomy will begin at 7:00 PM in Room 155 of the Chemistry-Physics Building. After the presentation, you are invited to view the sky through our 20-inch telescope, weather permitting.

Free parking is available on the top floor of parking structure #2, next to the observatory. With the exception of paid parking, without a valid parking permit, leaving your vehicle somewhere other than next to the observatory will result in a parking citation. Please note that Rose Street is closed south of the Chem-Physics building.

All are welcome and there is no charge. Tell your neighbors. Bring your kids.

A flyer in pdf format and a link to a campus map are available here:  https://pa.as.uky.edu/observatory