For the Carnegie Observatories monthly Cosmic Cocktail Hour hosted by the Pasadena Senior Center Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m. via Zoom, Dr. John Mulchaey, director of Carnegie Observatories, will share new clues to the early universe, black holes and more, plus an introduction to Carnegie Observatories’ VizLab.
The Big Bang started the universe as a hot, murky soup of extremely energetic particles that rapidly expanded. After about 400,000 years, these particles cooled and coalesced into neutral hydrogen gas, initiating a cosmic dark age.
Black holes are the densest and darkest objects in the universe with gravity so strong that not even light can escape them. At the end of each star’s life span the energy that holds its core together has the potential for collapsing in on itself, producing a brilliant explosion. All of the material that remains falls into a resulting black hole and then to an infinitely small point. Large black holes can have tens to millions of times the mass of our Earth’s sun trapped in a point smaller than the tip of a pin.
In the newly repurposed CarnegieAstro parking garage in Pasadena, a team of astrophysicists from the Carnegie Institution for Science has developed a workspace of the future – dubbed VizLab – where they study how our universe works using an immersive, virtual-reality display. VizLab houses custom-designed technology that uses existing data to generate models of ancient galaxies that formed early on in our universe and enables astrophysicists to view them side by side with colorful simulations of galaxy formation. The scientists use the new technology to reinterpret the data collected over decades of observations of the cosmos so they can trace the evolution of our universe.
At Carnegie Observatories, Mulchaey investigates groups and clusters of galaxies, black holes and dark matter, which is the invisible material that makes up most of the universe. He also is science deputy for the Carnegie Institution for Science. A scientific editor of The Astrophysical Journal, he is actively involved in public outreach and education about astronomy and astrophysics. He received his PhD from the University of Maryland and was a fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute and at Carnegie Observatories before joining the Carnegie staff.
The cost of Cosmic Cocktail Hour is only $7 for members of the Pasadena Senior Center and $10 for nonmembers 50 and older. To register, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Activities & Events, then Special Events or call (626) 795-4331. Everyone who registers will receive an email link to access the Zoom event.
Then pour your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy the astronomical trip.
In addition to online classes, onsite events and other activities, members and nonmembers of the Pasadena Senior Center are encouraged to visit the website regularly for a monthly magazine, COVID updates specifically for older adults and more.
The center, at 85 E. Holly St., is an independent, donor-supported nonprofit organization that has served older adults for more than 60 years. During the pandemic, doors are open Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for social services and other critical services for older adults in need as well as limited occupancy for events, the library, fitness center and computer lab. Masks and social distancing are required. Rooms are sanitized after each use.
In accordance with county public health guidelines, proof of COVID vaccination before entry to PSC will be required for everyone who uses the fitness center or attends onsite activities indoors.