September 6, 2019 8-10PM

Event Type: Lecture and Stargazing
Title: Observing Black Holes
Lecturer: Marianne Heida
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
Institution:Caltech
Abstract:
Black holes are fascinating: the densest objects in the universe from which no light can escape. How do you observe something that doesn't emit any light? The first picture of the shadow of a black hole was only taken this year, but astronomers have been studying them for decades through the effect they have on their surroundings. In this lecture we will go over the many methods astronomers use to search for and investigate the properties of black holes of all kinds, from the small ones in our cosmic backyard to the monsters in the centers of galaxies.