UT Astronomy Expert Lectures on Supernovae Nov. 17
An astronomy expert will be at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) to present a lecture on supernovae Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Student Center (SC) Ballroom.
Dr. J. Craig Wheeler, Samuel T. and Fern Yanagisawa Regents Professor of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, will present “Supernovae: Cosmic Catastrophes.” Admission is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by Guillermo Benavides Z.
Dr. Wheeler specializes in the astrophysics of violent events: supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, gamma-ray bursts and the relations of these events to astrobiology.
“I will review what we have learned from historical supernovae in the galaxy, how we go about studying these catastrophic events at McDonald Observatory, and the current research frontiers we are pursuing,” explained Wheeler.
His lecture will focus on supernovae—catastrophic explosions that end the lives of stars. They provide the heavy elements on which planets and life as we know it depend. They energize the interstellar gas to form or inhibit new stars, produce exotic compact object—neutron stars and black holes—and provide yardsticks to measure the content, history and fate of the universe.
He has published about 200 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings, has edited books on supernovae and accretion disks. He published a novel, "The Krone Experiment," co-authored the screenplay, and played a role in the independent film made in Austin. He has also written a popular astronomy book, "Cosmic Catastrophes: Supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts and Adventures in Hyperspace" the second edition of which was released in December 2006
For more information, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radliffe Killam Library, Suite 268.
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