"Mapping the Universe"

Juna Kollmeier
Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics

Abstract:

Humans have been mapping the sky for thousands of years. In this talk, I will describe our current efforts as undertaken by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. SDSS is an unprecedented spectroscopic survey that has revealed a tremendous amount of information about our cosmos. I will describe its fifth phase, mapping of over six million objects, from stars, to black holes, to Galaxies. SDSS is designed to decode the history of the Universe and the galaxies within it, trace the emergence of the chemical elements, reveal the inner workings of stars, and investigate the origin of planets. I will endeavor to explain why we do this and how taking on this massive, complex, and seemingly esoteric undertaking, humanity ultimately benefits.

Registration for online and in-person attendance is available here: mappingtheuniverse.eventbrite.ca. Note, in-person attendance is limited to the Queen's community, and subject to health requirements set by Queen's University and the Kingston Medical Officer of Health.