Tonights Sky: February 2017 (updated) Hubble Space Telescope 2024-10-17 | Tonights Sky: February 2017 (updated)
Supermassive Black Holes in the Centers of Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope 2023-02-08 | Darshan Kakkad, Space Telescope Science Institute Most galaxies have a supermassive black hole at their center, including our Milky Way. Despite being surrounded by a galaxy that is 1,000 times heavier, these black holes are no mere ornament—they help determine how galaxies are going develop over time. Join Dr. Kakkad for an overview of black holes across a phenomenal range of different masses and to explore how supermassive black holes may decide the fate of galaxies.- News from the Universe starts at 4:01- Main talk starts at 14:25Host: Frank Summers Recorded live on Tuesday, February 7, 2023More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Art & Science of Webb Imagery Hubble Space Telescope 2023-01-19 | Alyssa Pagan & Joseph DePasquale, Space Telescope Science InstituteThe amazing visions from the Webb Space Telescope have captivated the world. However, there is a long and involved process by which the scientist's black and white observational data are transformed into dynamic color imagery for the public. Join image specialists Alyssa Pagan and Joe DePasquale as they discuss, detail, and demonstrate the art and science of translating infrared light. Further, they will highlight the importance of creating these images in the first place, in serving to educate, engage and inspire.- News from the Universe starts at 3:06- Main talk starts at 8:56Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, January 17, 2023More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Surprising Supercharged Science with Swift Hubble Space Telescope 2022-12-09 | Steve Kerby, Penn State UniversityThe Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was originally designed to study gamma-ray bursts, but now does many types of multi-wavelength astronomy. Though lesser-known than flagship spacecraft like the James Webb or Hubble space telescopes, Swift has nonetheless made a staggering variety of discoveries since its launch in 2004. Join PhD candidate Steve Kerby for a discussion on the history of the plucky satellite, its diverse observational capabilities, and an ongoing project to investigate mysterious supermassive black holes in the distant universe. - News from the Universe starts at 3:48- Main talk starts at 13:24NOTE: Due to software difficulties, the latter part of the talk (from about 48:00) had to be recorded at a separate time. The questions at the end only reflect the earlier part of the talk that was recorded live.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, December 6, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Black Holes: How Do We See That Which Gives Off No Light? Hubble Space Telescope 2022-11-03 | Stephanie La Massa, Space Telescope Science Institute Black holes are the most enigmatic objects in the Universe, objects so dense that not even light can escape from them. A natural consequence of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, they have in the past been considered theoretical curiosities. However, observational evidence of black holes has become abundant over the past several decades.Though black holes give off no light, we can infer their presence based on the effect they have on their surroundings. Dr. La Massa will highlight the clues we use to discover black holes from within our Galaxy to the edges of the Universe. Recent ground-breaking observations from the Event Horizon Telescope and gravitational waves have pushed the boundaries of our knowledge about black holes. Still, many important questions remain, which the next generation of ground and space-based telescopes will help answer.- News from the Universe starts at 3:08- Main talk starts at 12:22Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, November 1, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Cosmic Wonders Hubble Space Telescope 2022-10-25 | Cosmic Wonders presents a stunning series of 18 astronomy visualizations. Each sequence combines Hubble Space Telescope images or research computer simulations with scientific knowledge and insight to create three dimensional visions of awesome celestial sights. Created by astronomers and artists at the Space Telescope Science Institute, all of the individual visualizations are available for viewing on the Hubble Space Telescope channel on YouTube and for download at hubblesite.org.Producer: Office of Public Outreach, Space Telescope Science InstituteEditor: Danielle KirschenblatVisualization Leads: Greg Bacon, Frank SummersVisualization Artists: Greg Bacon, Joseph DePasquale, Leah Hustak, Joseph Olmsted, Alyssa Pagan, Frank Summers, Tiffany Borders, Lisa Frattare, Zolt Levay, Dani PlayerVisualization Links:The Bubble Nebula: Winds & Radiation from a Massive StarHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/812-Video.htmlYouTube: youtu.be/teJ01WXYp6MA Flight Through the CANDELS Ultra Deep Survey FieldHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/984-Video.htmlYouTube: youtu.be/SUyDcyHpFhcA Rose of Galaxies: Interacting Galaxies Arp 273HubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/1141-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/4t3Eyg4zGeASculpture Garden of Gas and Dust: Core of the Lagoon NebulaHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/1034-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/FhpMyaJ3ahcStellar Greetings from Globular Cluster M79HubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/2017/37/1000-Video.htmlYouTube: youtu.be/EtHArjpbfT4Hickson Compact Group 40: A Flight Through Interacting GalaxiesHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/2022/012/01FYVF1FYTS756YTXR3YV9QGK2YouTube: youtu.be/_-QZ15QJrfsThe Red Bubble: Supernova Remnant SNR 0509-67.5HubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/896-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/96YLkY-N0o4Exploring the Structure of the Ring NebulaHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/2013/13/737-Video.htmlYouTube: youtu.be/_a94pl2lrYMStar Clusters in CollisionHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/4-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/1ekzgnn_iIwBlast Wave from a Stellar Explosion: Simulation of Supernova 1987AHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/939-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/MBGP5DMNlSoEta Carinae: The Great Eruption of a Massive StarHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/2022/004/01FSSJ7D1CFVCT5C9H4N7SW1BAYouTube: youtu.be/07hqULmszC8A Horse of a Different Color: The Gaseous Landscape of the Horsehead Nebula in InfraredHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/11-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/drTtTsevWBsCelestial Fireworks: Star Cluster Westerlund 2HubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/26-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/kYhmwT_NJzUFlight Through the Orion Nebula in Visible LightHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/1233-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/KELd9edjw0cCrash of the Titans: Milky Way & Andromeda CollisionHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/810-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/-WoLSL3EDEsCelestial Snow Angel: Star-forming Region Sharpless 2-106HubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/18-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/YzfbOECnuQgFlyby of the Whirlpool GalaxyHubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/1199-Video.htmlYouTube: youtu.be/ikdXEcMIjgACosmic Reef: NGC 2014 & NGC 2020HubbleSite: hubblesite.org/contents/media/videos/2020/16/1277-VideoYouTube: youtu.be/WoFQTYUSi_U
The Universe of Dante Alighieri Hubble Space Telescope 2022-10-05 | “The Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri is the story of a journey through the universe—a sort of ante litteram science fiction book, written as a poem. Dante had a good knowledge of astronomy and a great passion for it, traits shared with his descendant, astrophysicist Dr. Sperello di Serego Alighieri.As a medieval man, Dante straddled the beliefs of the ancients and modern knowledge. Dr. Alighieri will explore how his ancestor repeatedly anticipated later views on topics such as features of the Moon, our Milky Way galaxy—and the curved universe, unlimited but finite, which anticipates the hypersphere of Einstein. Join us for an invitation to reread Dante's poem with different eyes, ones turned upward. To be recorded live on Tuesday, October 4, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
First Light: Hunting for Galaxies at the Dawn of Cosmic Time Hubble Space Telescope 2022-09-08 | Guido Roberts-Borsani, UCLAThe emergence of the first galaxies some 13.5 billion years ago had a profound effect on the state of the universe. It marks the end of the so-called "Dark Ages" and begins the Epoch of Reionization. Finding and characterizing the distant sources responsible for ionizing the intergalactic medium is imperative to answer questions such as: When did the first galaxies form? Did they have upermassive black holes? What kind of stars did they host?Dr. Roberts-Borsani will discuss how astronomers are pushing the limits of current observatories to hunt for these initial galaxies and describe the efforts to characterize their exceptional natures. He will also illustrate how first results from the James Webb Space Telescope are already revolutionizing our search and providing an unprecedented window into early galaxy evolution.- News from the Universe starts at 3:27- Main talk starts at 15:34Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, September 6, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Webb’s First Look: Images and Spectra from NASA’s Newest Great Observatory Hubble Space Telescope 2022-08-03 | Alexandra Lockwood, Space Telescope Science Institute The Webb Space Telescope has recently showcased its spectacular first images and is now ready to do incredible science! It has been a long road to get here, including meticulous planning, exacting execution, and an amazing amount of teamwork! Join Dr. Lockwood as she talks about the journey from launch to commissioning, explores details of the first images and spectra, and helps us understand the awesome scientific potential of NASA's newest great observatory.- News from the Universe starts at 3:29- Main talk starts at 11:27Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteBroadcast live on Tuesday, August 2, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
How Yavin IV and Orbital Mechanics Destroyed the Death Star Hubble Space Telescope 2022-07-06 | Mia Bovill, Texas Christian University At the end of “Star Wars: Episode IV,” the Death Star orbits the moon Yavin IV while seeking to target the rebel base on its surface. This maneuver takes long enough that Luke Skywalker is able to destroy the celestial juggernaut in the nick of time. Was this delay scientifically reasonable? The answer lies in the basic tenets of orbital mechanics. In addition, given the wealth of observational data on exoplanetary systems from telescopes like NASA’s Kepler Mission, one can address many other questions about this scenario. Is it possible to have a gas giant planet orbited by a planet-sized moon that has dense vegetation and a breathable atmosphere? How massive would Yavin IV be and what is its likely composition? Dr. Bovill explains how astrophysics is the force that offers a new hope in comprehending this encounter with the dark side of a moon.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, July 5, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
How the Roman Space Telescope Will Study Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope 2022-06-30 | NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will be a powerful tool for studying galaxies throughout the cosmos. It will be able to provide spectra for every galaxy in its field of view. And with a field of view 200 times that of the Hubble Space Telescope at infrared wavelengths, Roman can capture thousands of objects of interest in a single observation.Video credit: Robert Hurt (IPAC/Caltech)Hubble Ultra Deep Field Visualization courtesy of Frank Summers (STScI)/NASA’s Universe of LearningMusic: “Red Giant” by Stellardrone
Understanding the Formation and Evolution of Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope 2022-06-10 | Cameron Hummels, Caltech Galaxies—like our own Milky Way—are among the basic building blocks of our universe. Discovered only one hundred years ago, galaxies are complex systems consisting of billions of stars, along with gas, dust, and dark matter. They occupy much of what we see when we gaze at the night sky through our telescopes. Astronomers learn about galaxies using both telescope observations and sophisticated computer simulations. These numerical investigations are crucial in helping us better understand how galaxies form and evolve since the birth of our universe. To be broadcast live on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 8 PM EDT (UTC-4)More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Eta Carinae and the Homunculus Nebula in 3D Hubble Space Telescope 2022-05-05 | Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteEta Carinae is the closest, best known, and most studied of the stars known as "supernova impostors". After surviving a supernova-like brightening in the 1840's, Eta Car faded away for the rest of the 19th century, and slowly grew more luminous over the 20th century. Modern observations across visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray wavelengths reveal complex, nested structures of gas and dust that resulted from the 1840's Great Eruption and other outbursts from this massive star system. Dr. Summers will showcase a 3D visualization of these nebulae as well as delve into the colliding wind binary star at the core of this remarkable celestial object.- News from the Universe starts at 3:21- Main talk starts at 8:53Recorded live on Tuesday, May 3, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Hickson Compact Group 40: A Flight Through Interacting Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope 2022-04-19 | This visualization, which uses scientific data, begins by illustrating the location of the Hickson Compact Group 40 in the constellation Hydra. It then zooms into a lonely patch of sky inhabited by the close-knit group’s five galaxies. Finally, it shows a fly-through of this eclectic bunch — which includes three spiral-shaped galaxies, an elliptical galaxy and a lenticular (lens-like) galaxy — and how they are situated in relation to each other. Credits:Video: NASA, ESA, STScIVisualization: Joseph DePasquale , Alyssa PaganMuic: Joseph DePasqualeAcknowledgement: Akira Fujii, DSS, David Malin
Neutrino Astronomy: A New Window into the Extreme Universe Hubble Space Telescope 2022-04-06 | Marcos Santander, University of AlabamaLocated under a mile of glacial ice near the South Pole is IceCube, the largest neutrino telescope in the world. IceCube detects high-energy neutrinos, elementary particles that can be produced in distant cosmic objects such as supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei powered by supermassive black holes. Pinpointing the neutrino sources will help answer the century-old question of the origin of cosmic rays, the highest energy particles known in the Universe. In addition, combining observations of neutrinos with those of photons and gravitational waves will enable a new area of multi-messenger astronomical studies. Join Dr. Santander for an overview of the current status of neutrino astronomy, recent highlights from IceCube, and a look at the next-generation neutrino telescopes around the world.- News from the Universe starts at 4:27- Main talk starts at 12:59Host: Quyen Hart, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, April 5, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Hubble ACS 20th Anniversary Video Hubble Space Telescope 2022-03-07 | The Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) forever changed our view of the universe. Two decades into its epic mission, ACS continues to deliver ground-breaking science and stunning images. ACS has taken over 125,000 pictures and spawned numerous discoveries.Credit: NASA, ESA, Danielle Kirshenblat (STScI)Music Credit: Associated Production Music (APM)
Hubble from Space and Integral-field Spectroscopy from the Ground Hubble Space Telescope 2022-03-03 | Marc Sarzi, Armagh Observatory & PlanetariumIntegral-field spectroscopy (IFS) has driven tremendous progress in many areas of astronomy in the past two decades. Using a combination of imaging and spectroscopy, IFS observations can simultaneously map of a variety of physical properties across extended objects such as stellar clusters, gas nebulae or galaxies. Until recently, however, IFS has been the sole province of ground-based telescopes, which cannot rival the spatial resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) even when assisted by adaptive optics techniques. This situation has led to several instances where IFS data have been combined with HST observations to drive progress - ranging from the study of supermassive black holes to that of distant and early galaxies. Join Dr. Sarzi for an overview of IFS and some of it most fruitful ground/space collaborative studies.- News from the Universe starts at 3:23- Main Talk starts at 12:16Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, March 1, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
To Catch a Dancing Star: The Story of ‘Extreme Precision’ Spectroscopy Hubble Space Telescope 2022-02-02 | Arpita Roy, Space Telescope Science InstituteIt has been three decades since astronomers first discovered planets outside our Solar System. This profound scientific moment established the field of exoplanet science and has led us on a whirlwind tour of other worlds, none of which (so far) have been quite like our own. With a few thousand planets under our belt, we are now preparing to hone in on truly Earth-like planets by upgrading some of our oldest planet-hunting tools. Dr. Roy will trace the history of the Nobel Prize-winning “radial velocity" or "Doppler" technique — from the 1970s to current day, from non-precision to extreme precision spectroscopy. We will traverse four orders of magnitude in improvement, and encounter surprisingly dangerous experiments. All of these developments have led to an unprecedented view of the subtle dance being performed by the stars in our sky.- News from the Universe starts at 3:36- Main talk starts at 12:55Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, February 1, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Eta Carinae: The Great Eruption of a Massive Star Hubble Space Telescope 2022-01-25 | Eta Carinae, or Eta Car, is famous for a brilliant and unusual outburst, called the "Great Eruption", observed in the 1840s. This visualization presents the story of that event and examines the resulting multiwavelength emissions and three-dimensional structures surrounding Eta Car today.Massive stars are known to have major outbursts. Eta Car, one of the most massive stars known, expelled about 10% of its mass in the Great Eruption, creating a small nebula, called the Homunculus Nebula, around it. Images taken in different wavelengths of light reveal different structures, each providing more information about the outbursts of Eta Car.For this visualization, astronomers and artists have used NASA observations to model both the close-up and wide views of this massive and eruptive star. The Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory have observed the nested layers of gas and dust around Eta Car using visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray light, as well as in the Hydrogen Alpha emission line. The Spitzer Space Telescope provides a larger view of the Carina Nebula, along with Eta Car’s dominant position within this star-forming region.This visualization is presented by the AstroViz Project of NASA’s Universe of Learning. Viewers gain appreciation for how the observations from two centuries ago connect to the resulting structures seen today. Full 360-degree 3D views help to assemble a complete mental model that aids interpretation of the NASA observations. Eta Car serves as a notable example of the outbursts in the dying stages of massive stars.Credits: J. Olmsted, D. Player, L. Hustak, A. Pagan, J. DePasquale, G. Bacon, F. Summers (STScI), R. Hurt (Caltech/IPAC), NASA, ESAImages: A. Fujii, J. Morse (BoldlyGo Inst), N. Smith (U Arizona), Hubble SM4 ERO Team, NASA, ESA, STScI, JPL-Caltech, CXC, ESO, NOAO, AURA, NSFMusic: “Interstellar Wanderer”, Joseph DePasquale, CC BY-NC 4.0
Eta Carinae: 2D Images to 3D Models Hubble Space Telescope 2022-01-25 | This visualization showcases the multiwavelength emissions and three-dimensional structures surrounding Eta Carinae, one of the most massive and eruptive stars in our galaxy.Two of NASA’s Great Observatories, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, have observed Eta Carinae using visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray light, as well as in the Hydrogen Alpha emission line. These 2D portraits have been modeled by astronomers and artists to create a 3D visualization that brings the telescope images to life.The sequence presents the layered model one wavelength region at a time, and builds up the complex nested structure. The viewer gets a full 360-degree view and can assemble a complete mental model that aids interpretation of the NASA observations.Credits: J. Olmsted, D. Player, L. Hustak, J. DePasquale, G. Bacon, F. Summers (STScI), NASA, ESAImages: J. Morse (BoldlyGo Inst), N. Smith (U Arizona), NASA, ESA, STScI, CXCMusic: “Sleepy Frieda”, Maarten Schellekens, CC BY-NC 4.0
The Vibrant Life in Cities of Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope 2022-01-05 | Mireia Montes, Space Telescope Science Institute A galaxy cluster is a collection of hundreds to thousands of galaxies—a "city" of galaxies. Similar to our human cities, these cities of galaxies are busy, vibrant places with lots of activity. As the crossroads where galaxies interact, these cities provide us with important insights into many fundamental astrophysical processes. They also hold a hidden secret: There is more in them that what we can see. Join Dr. Montes as she visits the cosmic metropolis and unveils the hidden mysteries in clusters of galaxies.- News from the Universe starts at 3:38- Main talk starts at 14:18Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science Institute Recorded live on Tuesday, January 4, 2022More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Webb Space Telescope: Launching a Legacy Hubble Space Telescope 2021-12-09 | Alexandra Lockwood, Space Telescope Science InstituteOriginally envisioned in the mid-1990s, NASA's next flagship observatory, the Webb Space Telescope, is now reaching fruition. Its scientific capabilities will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe. As we enter the final weeks before liftoff, come learn about the astronomy motivations of the mission, the incredible technology powering it all, and the latest updates on launch preparations. Dr. Lockwood will also look ahead to the coming months of commissioning, and the much-anticipated first images and spectra to arrive next summer!Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, December 7, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
4000 Years of Women in Science Hubble Space Telescope 2021-11-04 | Sethanne Howard, Washington Academy of Sciences For more than 4,000 years of written knowledge, women have participated in the great human adventure of science. This historical record demonstrates that science and technology are by no means gender specific. Female creativity and genius fill our technical past, yet their fundamental contributions can be missing from our textbooks and data. The stories of these women not only provide role models for future scientists, but they also strengthen and broaden our ability to respond to today’s challenges. Dr. Howard covers the exciting and enchanting history of women in science and technology — where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, November 2, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Moving Winds in Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Hubble Space Telescope 2021-10-13 | Each loop in this video represents approximately 10 Earth hours or one Jupiter day, approximating what it would look like if the Great Red Spot were constantly illuminated. By analyzing this set of data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, researchers were able to simulate what the wind flow looks like around Jupiter’s Great Red Spot: Just south of the Great Red Spot is an eastward jet and at the southern border is a westward jet.Read the news release: hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2021/news-2021-055NASA, ESA, Michael H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley)
How Dark Is Space? Hubble Space Telescope 2021-10-06 | Tod Lauer, NSF’s NOIRLab Looking at the sky on a clear moonless night, one sees stars against black space. Powerful telescopes reveal faint stars and galaxies strewn between the bright stars, but still set against a black background. But we can ask, "Is space really, truly, completely dark?" Unfortunately, looking for a faint glow from the universe itself is tricky from the vantage point of the inner Solar System, where sunlight is scattered by interplanetary dust. NASA’s New Horizons space probe, however, is now more than 50 times further away from the Sun than Earth, and its background sky is much darker than the one the Hubble Space Telescope observes. Join Dr. Tod Lauer as he describes an intriguing experiment that employed this perfect camera for gauging the blackness of space, and found evidence for an unknown source of light from the universe, itself. Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, October 5, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Astronomy vs. Astrology: What’s the Difference, Really? Hubble Space Telescope 2021-09-08 | Nicole Arulanantham, Space Telescope Science Institute It is inevitable in every astronomer's career that sometime, someplace, someone will refer to them as an astrologer. Although the scientist may cringe at this misnomer, pop culture has many examples where the terms “astronomy” and “astrology” are mistakenly used interchangeably. This modern misconception has some ancient roots. Join Dr. Arulanantham in exploring such celestial confusion by going back through history, to learn about the origins of studying the cosmos.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Importance of Small Objects: Exocomets Hubble Space Telescope 2021-08-04 | Isabel Rebollido, Space Telescope Science InstituteComets, asteroids, and other minor bodies in the solar system are thought to have played an important role in the formation of planets. They may even affect the appearance of life on Earth. Although we can't directly observe these small bodies in other planetary systems, we can infer their presence through various techniques. Studies into exocomets have been pursued for decades, with recent advances in the exoplanetary field bringing them into the limelight. In particular, comets trace chemical and dynamical information that could eventually be key to determine the habitability of new planetary systems.Host: Brandon Lawton, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorder live on Tuesday, August 3, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Armchair Astrophysics, Volume 2 Hubble Space Telescope 2021-07-08 | Quyen Hart, Space Telescope Science Institute Pull up a chair, get comfortable, and look all around you. Can you spot some familiar objects or common phenomena that can be connected to a topic in astrophysics? Some of your everyday experiences can be explained using some basic physics concepts and some of our cosmic observations have analogs in what we see around us. Join us to explore the physics of familiar phenomena and learn where the same physics is working “out there” in the cosmos. Discover what you and the universe have in common. Armchairs are not required, but highly recommended.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, July 6, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
How to Hunt for Distant Worlds Hubble Space Telescope 2021-06-02 | Emily Rickman, European Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute Since the discovery of the first planet orbiting a Sun-like star in 1995, more than 4,000 exoplanets have been found. These widespread planetary systems confirm that our solar system is just one of many in our Milky Way galaxy. The discovery of such systems provided intriguing insights, challenging our perspectives about how planetary systems form and evolve. But how do astronomers search for these exoplanets and what can we find out about them? Join Dr. Rickman as she describes the scientific hunt for these distant worlds. Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, June 1, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Finding the Music of the Spheres: Hearing Stars Hubble Space Telescope 2021-05-06 | The Consonance Collective and the Bergamot Quartet, Peabody Institute Presenting “Hearing Stars,” a visual album of string quartets depicting the life cycles of stars produced by the Consonance Collective with support from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). The album follows the stars through five stages: 1) protostar (Celeste Forma), 2) star system (Iridescence), 3) supernova (SN 1054), 4) black hole (Beyond the Horizon), and 5) dark matter (Dark Mysteries). Created over the last year, the composers of the collective wrote original pieces for the Bergamot Quartet based on these stellar life stages, with STScI providing images, visualizations, and access to scientists. We hope you enjoy the results of this special collaboration!Videos may be viewed on the STScI YouTube channel in the "Hearing Stars - Consonance Collective" playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm0MBdI3VlBUbDQhZewZQC6Q8lzTxGnJPCeleste Forma (Protostar) - Bobby Ge: youtu.be/lPeLZWZyhfMIridescence (Star System) - Zach Gulaboff Davis: youtu.be/T-mikiFLQ40SN 1054 (Supernova) - Seo Yoon Kim: youtu.be/m2wY434QVRwBeyond the Horizon (Black Hole) - Gu Wei: youtu.be/iRCx4nAGgCEDark Mysteries (Dark Matter) - Daniel Despins: youtu.be/prS_IIWkkK4 This project was made possible by funding from the Maryland State Arts Council, the Jersey City Arts Council, and the Awesome Foundation.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, May 4, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Zoom to AG Carinae Hubble Space Telescope 2021-04-23 | This visualization starts with a wide-view of the Carina constellation and zooms down to the Hubble Space Telescope view of the massive star, AG Carinae. One of the brightest stars in our galaxy, AG Carinae undergoes eruptions that have ejected a small nebula of gas and dust. The emission from ionized gas glows red, while the dust reflects the light of the star and appears bluish-white.Credits: NASA, ESA, A. Pagan (STScI)
Flight to AG Carinae Hubble Space Telescope 2021-04-23 | This visualization starts with the Hubble Space Telescope view of the massive star, AG Carinae. One of the brightest stars in our galaxy, AG Carinae undergoes eruptions that have ejected a small nebula of gas and dust. The sequence flies into a 3D model that shows the structure of the surrounding nebula. The 3D model is based upon Hubble images and spectroscopic data of the nebula's motion. The emission from ionized gas glows red, while the dust reflects the light of the star and appears bluish-white.Visualization: NASA, ESA, STScI, L. Hustak, F. Summers, A. Pagan, J. DePasquale, and G. Bacon (STScI)
AG Carinae: A Luminous Blue Variable Star Hubble Space Telescope 2021-04-23 | This visualization starts with a wide-field view of the Carina constellation and zooms down to the Hubble Space Telescope view of the massive star, AG Carinae. One of the brightest stars in our galaxy, AG Carinae undergoes eruptions that have ejected a small nebula of gas and dust.The sequence then transitions from the 2D Hubble image to a 3D model that shows the structure of the surrounding nebula. The 3D model is based on Hubble images and spectroscopic data of the nebula's motion. The emission from ionized gas glows red, while the dust reflects the light of the star and appears bluish-white.CREDITS:VIDEO: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak, Frank Summers, Alyssa Pagan, Joseph DePasquale and Greg Bacon (STScI)MUSIC: "Luminous Beings" by Joseph DePasquale (STScI) CC BY 4.0
Spacefarers: How Humans Will Settle the Moon, Mars, and Beyond Hubble Space Telescope 2021-04-08 | Christopher Wanjek More than 50 years after the Apollo 11 moon landing, why is there so little human presence in space? Will we ever reach Mars? What will it take to become a multi-planet species, colonizing the Solar System and traveling to other stars? This lecture meets these questions head on with a discourse of what we can expect in the next 30 years based not simply on what is possible, but rather on what is practical and thus plausible when considering the biological, economic, and philosophical concerns that adjoin the engineering challenges of space habitation and travel. We will be returning to the Moon and exploring Mars in the coming decades, given the potential scientific and commercial bonanza. Private industry already is taking a leading role and earning profits from human space activity. This can be a sustainable venture and a natural extension of Earth-bound science, business, and leisure.Join us as the noted author discusses plans for factories and hotels in low-Earth orbit, as well as science, mining, and tourism on the Moon modeled on activities in Antarctica. In addition, explore a vision of slow, steady development of science bases on Mars, to be followed by settlements if Martian gravity will permit reproduction and healthy child development.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, April 6, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Flickering Light of Dual Quasars Hubble Space Telescope 2021-04-06 | This simulation shows the brilliant, flickering light from a pair of quasars. Astronomers in a recent study deduced that the blinking light is a telltale sign of the presence of two quasars and not a single object.Quasars reside at the hearts of galaxies. They are ignited by monster black holes voraciously feeding on infalling matter, unleashing a torrent of radiation. A quasar’s light fluctuates in brightness based on how much material its black hole is gobbling up at the time.This quasar pair is pouring out light because their galaxies are in the process of merging, which provides plenty of fuel for their hungry black holes. The quasars appear close together because they, too, are in the process of merging, along with their galaxies.The quasars were first identified by the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft, which measures small changes in the brightness of stars. The quasar pair is too far away for Gaia to resolve. Instead, the pair looks like a single bright object. However, Gaia also measured an apparent “jiggle” in the light. The “jiggle” is a signal of the independent flickering light between two separate quasars, similar to a pair of alternating lights on a railroad-crossing signal. The Hubble Space Telescope is sharp enough to resolve the quasar pair, which astronomers had suspected from the Gaia data.Credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Olmsted (STScI)
The Hubble Space Telescope: From Cosmological Conflict to Alien Atmospheres Hubble Space Telescope 2021-03-05 | Tom Brown, Space Telescope Science Institute The Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most successful scientific experiments in history: It maps the accelerating expansion of the cosmos, explores distant galaxies in the early universe, reveals the birth of stellar systems, and probes planets orbiting our sun and other stars. As one of the largest telescopes ever launched into orbit, Hubble’s unique capabilities drive diverse discoveries across all of astrophysics and extend the work of other observatories on the ground and in space. Join Dr. Brown as he highlights some of Hubble’s most exciting results and our expectations for the coming decade.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Milky Way vs. Andromeda: When Galaxies Collide Hubble Space Telescope 2021-02-05 | Laura Prichard, Space Telescope Science Institute Our sun is one of hundreds of billions of stars that make up the spiral disk of our Milky Way galaxy. In turn, our galaxy is one of a hundred billion more that we can observe in the universe. Join Dr. Prichard as she delves into the discovery of these “island universes” and explains how many types of galaxies form.Take a tour of our galaxy’s neighborhood, including an adventure into our prospects of interstellar travel. The exploration will reveal the ultimate fate of the Milky Way when it collides with our massive spiral neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy, in 4 billion years.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, February 2, 2021More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Darkest Secrets of the Universe Hubble Space Telescope 2021-01-22 | Raja GuhaThakurta, University of California–Santa Cruz The cosmos contains many mysteries that intrigue even the most experienced researchers. The interplay between known and unknown constantly shifts and aligns. For example, there lies a hidden connection between dark matter, the Periodic Table of elements, cosmic inflation, and Schrödinger's Cat. Other confounding conundrums include galaxy cannibalism, black holes, gravitational lensing, and gravitational waves. Join Dr. GuhaThakurta as these dark secrets of the universe are revealed and explored.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science Institute Recorded live on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Ultra Deep Field: Looking Out into Space, Looking Back into Time Hubble Space Telescope 2021-01-11 | This six-minute visual exploration of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field showcases the characteristics and contents of this landmark observation, as well as its four-dimensional nature across both space and time. In particular, galaxies are seen to more than 12 billion light-years away / 12 billion years ago, allowing astronomers to trace the development of galaxies across cosmic time.A deep field is a long exposure on a small field of view to observe the faintest objects possible. The Ultra Deep Field (UDF) represents the deepest visible light observation of the universe (deeper views are extensions / subsets of this 2004 image). Containing about 10,000 sources, the UDF provides a statistical sample of galaxies across the universe.In this sequence, the three-dimensional model of the UDF data set uses NASA and other images and source catalogs. More than 5000 galaxies with cross-matched image cutout and distance measure are placed in their correct relative position throughout the long thin pyramid of the observation. To keep the fly-throughs succinct, the depth of the pyramid is shortened by a factor of a few hundred.The visualization encompasses a suite of UDF science points in a single camera shot journey. Zooms, fades, fly-throughs, and overlay graphics visually express and highlight aspects such as the field of view, long exposure time, variety of galaxies, and extent across the observable universe. The critical idea that "looking farther out into space is also looking farther back in time" leads to examples, drawn directly from the data, of galaxy structure changing and growing over time.The Ultra Deep Field and other deep field studies help astronomers study the distribution, characteristics, and development of galaxies across space and time.Visualization: Frank Summers, Alyssa Pagan, Leah Hustak, Greg Bacon, Zolt Levay, Lisa Frattare (STScI)Data: Anton Koekemoer, Bahram Mobasher, and HUDF TeamMusic: "Autumn: Meditativo" by Dee Yan-Key CC BY-NC-SA 4.0This presentation is based on work performed as part of the NASA’s Universe of Learning project and is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC65A. The NASA's Universe of Learning (NASA’s UoL) project creates and delivers science-driven, audience-driven resources and experiences designed to engage and immerse learners of all ages and backgrounds in exploring the universe for themselves. The competitively-selected project represents a unique partnership between the Space Telescope Science Institute, Caltech/IPAC, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and Sonoma State University, and is part of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation program.
Shaping Galaxies with Supermassive Black Hole Winds Hubble Space Telescope 2020-12-04 | Mitchell Revalski, Space Telescope Science InstituteGalaxies are a diverse population with a wide range of sizes, shapes, intensity of star formation, and masses of the supermassive black holes at their cores. These seemingly distinct characteristics can show intriguing correlations. A key ingredient in forming those relationships may be supermassive black hole winds, which are energetic flows of gas powered by the light emitted from growing black holes. These winds can sculpt the shapes of galaxies, determine the rate at which stars are able to form, and push heavy elements into the voids between galaxies. Join us for a visual exploration of what recent observations and simulations have taught us about these winds and how they may influence the development of galaxies. Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, December 1, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Fading Stingray Nebula Hubble Space Telescope 2020-12-03 | This video shows the drastic changes to the planetary nebula Hen 3-1357, nicknamed the Stingray nebula, over two decades as captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The nebula is first seen as it was in 1996, with filaments and tendrils of gas glowing bright blue at its center. The wavy outer edges of gas also stand out against the dark background of the universe. The 1996 portrait then transitions to Hubble’s 2016 image, which shows a much dimmer nebula lacking in the pronounced wavy edges.Credit: NASA, ESA, B. Balick (University of Washington), M. Guerrero (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía), and G. Ramos-Larios (Universidad de Guadalajara), and J. DePasquale (STScI)
Stellar Greetings from Globular Cluster M79 Hubble Space Telescope 2020-11-25 | This video starts with a wide-field view of the sky covering the constellations of Orion, the hunter, and Lepus, the hare. The view zooms down to the relatively tiny field of the Hubble image of globular star cluster Messier 79 (M79). The sequence then dissolves to a visualization of a rotating star cluster that provides three-dimensional perspective. The simulated star cluster is modeled to reflect the number, color, and distribution of stars in M79, but not its exact structure. Finally, the scene pulls back to reveal a special holiday greeting.Credit: NASA, ESA, and F. Summers, J. DePasquale, D. Player, Z. Levay and G. Bacon (STScI)
Hearing The Light: Astronomy Data Sonification Hubble Space Telescope 2020-11-12 | Hearing The Light: How Sonification Deepens our Understanding of the Cosmos and Makes Astronomy More AccessibleScott Fleming, Clara Brasseur, and Jennifer Kotler, Space Telescope Science InstituteSonification is the process of representing data as sound. Rather than looking at a chart or graph, the underlying information can be transformed into audio and analyzed by listening. This technique offers exciting new ways for scientists to study data, and provides blind and low-vision people a new level of data access and analysis. Astronify is our tool for sonifying archival data from NASA missions. We will discuss the goals of the project and describe how our software converts measurements of a star’s changes in brightness to changes in pitch. After learning about Astronify, the audience is invited to play in our online game show to see how well one can hear and identify transiting exoplanets and stellar flares in real data from the Kepler Space Telescope.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, November 10, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope 2020-10-08 | Jennifer Wiseman & Julie McEnery, NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterNASA recently announced that its next-generation space telescope, formerly called the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), has been named in honor of Dr. Nancy Grace Roman. As NASA’s first Chief Astronomer, Dr. Roman paved the way for space telescopes focused on the broader universe. She is credited with making the Hubble Space Telescope a reality, leading to her nickname as the "mother of Hubble." When it launches in the mid-2020s, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will create enormous space panoramas of unprecedented detail. The mission’s wide field of view will enable scientists to conduct sweeping cosmic surveys, yielding a wealth of information about celestial realms from our solar system to the edge of the observable universe. Roman will survey the sky in infrared light, which is invisible to human eyes. It will have the same resolution in near-infrared wavelengths as NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, but will capture a field of view about 100 times larger.Roman’s surveys will deliver new insights into the history and structure of the universe, including the mysterious "dark energy" that is making space itself expand faster and faster. This powerful new observatory will also build on the broad foundation of work begun with Hubble and other observatories on planets outside our solar system. It will discover thousands of exoplanets using its wide-field camera and study the atmospheres of giant gaseous planets orbiting other stars with a sophisticated technology demonstration coronagraph.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, October 6, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Science Writers’ Workshop on the Roman Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope 2020-10-07 | This workshop for science journalists, presented by the Space Telescope Science Institute, provides an overview of major areas of scientific inquiry that NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will address. A panel of prominent astronomers speaks on a variety of topics, including:Overview of Roman Science with the Wide Field Instrument and CoronagraphThe Dark UniverseGalaxies Across Cosmic TimeScience Synergies of the 2020’sDr. Nancy Grace Roman
Sailing across the Local Universe with ULLYSES Hubble Space Telescope 2020-09-02 | Sailing across the Local Universe with ULLYSES: A Hubble Program to Observe Ultraviolet Light from Young StarsWill Fischer, Space Telescope Science Institute We've all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. Astronomers go further and say that a spectrum is worth a thousand pictures. Spectra show how bright a target is over a range of colors, revealing the temperature, composition, and other properties of planets, stars, galaxies, dust, and gas. With the help of astronomy researchers around the world, the Space Telescope Science Institute is carrying out a major program called ULLYSES that is obtaining spectra of young stars in our galaxy and beyond using the Hubble Space Telescope. It focuses on ultraviolet spectroscopy, one of Hubble’s unique strengths. Join us to learn about stellar spectroscopy and our ongoing epic journey with ULLYSES.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, September 1, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Armchair Astrophysics: Finding Physics Far and Wide Hubble Space Telescope 2020-08-05 | Quyen Hart, Space Telescope Science InstituteWhat do echoes, bubbles, and fireworks have to do with astrophysics? What do highway traffic jams and galaxy spiral arms have in common? Some of your everyday experiences can be explained using some basic physics concepts, and some of our cosmic observations have analogues in what we see around us. The laws of physics are universal, so astronomers apply our understanding of physics here on Earth to everything in the universe. Join us to explore the physics of familiar phenomena and to learn where the same physics is working 'out there' in the cosmos. Armchairs are not required, but highly recommended.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, August 4, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Oumuamua: A Mysterious Interstellar Interloper Hubble Space Telescope 2020-07-08 | Amaya Moro-Martin, Space Telescope Science Institute During the formation of our solar system, a tremendous number of asteroids, comets, and planetesimals were ejected into interstellar space by gravitational encounters. If extrasolar planetary systems, which are now known to be quite common, experienced a similar development, then our galaxy should be teeming with these expelled objects. Astronomers were perplexed that none had been found passing through our solar system. Then, in 2017, the discovery of ‘Oumuamua transformed the situation from puzzlement to bewilderment. Observations with a wide range of telescopes followed the brightness and trajectory of this first interstellar interloper but left important questions about its origin and composition unanswered. Further, what process was responsible for the non-gravitational acceleration found in its unbound orbit?This cosmic visitor will not return to provide explanations. Thus, the intriguing inquiries ‘Oumuamua left behind will remain as we seek out and study other guests from beyond our solar system. Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Tuesday, July 7, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Rubin’s Galaxy: A Gentle Giant Spiral Galaxy Hubble Space Telescope 2020-06-04 | Benne Holwerda, University of Louisville In the 1980s, astronomer Vera Rubin discovered that the spiral galaxy UGC 2885 is the most extended disk galaxy in the local universe. In addition, this galaxy is close enough for high-resolution Hubble studies. As such, this galaxy provides an intriguing test of the observed scaling relationships between the characteristics of a galaxy and the characteristics of its globular star cluster population. As part of Hubble's 30th anniversary commemoration, a new, 74-megapixel, mosaic image of the newly nicknamed "Rubin's Galaxy" was released in January 2020. Dr. Holwerda will describe the observation and analysis, with first results on the globular cluster population of this massive disk galaxy.Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science InstituteRecorded live on Wednesday, June 3, 2020More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures
Cosmic Reef: NGC 2014 & NGC 2020 [Ultra HD] Hubble Space Telescope 2020-05-13 | This science visualization presents the dramatic landscape of two nebulas in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The video, based on images by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, takes viewers on a close-up tour of the nebulas' three-dimensional structures, as envisioned by scientists and artists.The movie begins with the Hubble view of NGC 2014 (lower left) and NGC 2020 (upper right). The region has been nicknamed the "Cosmic Reef," because of its resemblance to an undersea world. The camera then flies past myriad stars for a close-up look at NGC 2014. The first stop is the bubble of hot gas on the left that has a coral-like appearance. Energetic ultraviolet light from the system's most massive stars has heated the gas, while strong stellar winds (streams of charged particles) help create its bubble structure.The journey continues into the heart of the nebula, home to extraordinarily massive and bright stars. The glowing gas in this region is bathed in the stars' intense luminosity. In contrast, the dark, denser gas is resisting that radiation, and is blown back to form craggy, mountainous shapes. The virtual flight moves past ridges, valleys, and pockets of new star formation.The camera then rises up and over a ridge of NGC 2014, revealing the three-dimensional structure of neighboring NGC 2020. The Wolf-Rayet star at its core is the mammoth, intensely hot source of this nebula. Episodes of outbursts from the young star have produced cloudy rings and clumps in the bright blue gas. While Hubble views NGC 2020 looking down the axis of the stellar outflows, the visualization finishes with a side view that illustrates the nebula's double-lobed structure.Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Bacon, J. DePasquale, L. Hustak, J. Olmstead, A. Pagan, D. Player, and F. Summers (STScI)Music: "Cosmic Reef" by J. DePasquale (STScI) CC BY 4.0
