Stargazing Lecture

Stargazing is dependent on clear weather, but lecture and Q&A happen regardless. Event will occur in-person, with lecture and Q&A additionally live-streamed on YouTube.

For remote viewers, the event will be live-streamed here:
https://youtube.com/live/il5BjOs8PQ8

8:00–8:45 p.m. - Public Lecture
8:45–9:45 p.m. - Panel Q&A and Guided Stargazing

Astronomical technology has now advanced to recording the entire night sky every few days, allowing us to effectively generate movies of how our sky changes with time. These data reveal in real time the dynamic nature of our night sky including supernovae, star-ripping blackholes, flaring stars, asteroids, comets, and more. Every night, our telescope, the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), detects a hundred thousand astronomical objects that are brightening or fading overhead. News of these detections are sent out to other scientists as well as the public for scientific follow up. Using these alerts, we have created an Android app called ZARTH, to allow anyone to "catch" these objects, learn more about them, and enter a friendly competition with others in creating the best transient collection by interacting with real astronomical data as it is observed. We will describe the science of these astronomical objects, the app, and how to play it. Embark on this stellar journey with us and experience the thrill of hunting for the universe's most dynamic events.

Note: Due to an illness, we had a last-minute change to the schedule, and the previous talk entitled "Stellar Tantrums and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life" will be given in a few months.

About the Series

Stargazing Lectures are free lectures at a public level followed by a Q&A panel and guided stargazing with telescopes (weather permitting). All events are held at the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Caltech and are Free and open to all. No reservations are needed. Lectures are 30 minutes; stargazing and panel Q&A last 60 minutes. Stay only as long as you want.

Stargazing is only possible with clear skies, but the lecture and panel Q&A take place regardless of weather.

For directions, weather updates, and more information, please visit: http://outreach.astro.caltech.edu.