The Lives of Stars: From Dusty Birth to Explosive Death

'The lives of stars: From dusty birth to explosive death'

Our understanding of the evolution of stars represents one of the great scientific breakthroughs of the past 100 years, bridged by the work of several Nobel laureates. 

We have the pleasure of welcoming guest speaker Raman Prinja, Professor of Astrophysics at University College London (UCL), to present an overview of our modern understanding of stellar evolution, from the dusty birth of stars, and their nuclear-burning lives, to ultimate demise including supernova detonations, and the bizarre end-states that include neutron stars and black holes. 

This fascinating journey will also highlight the importance of outflows and the dispersal of life-giving chemical elements. The talk will be illustrated with the latest superb imagery from powerful telescopes in space and on the ground.

 After the talk, our enthusiastic team of astronomers will give you a tour of the observatory and all our equipment and if the skies are clear we'll use our large aperture tlescopes to peer deep in to space to view stars and star clusters that could demonstrate the various stages of stellar evolution. Weather permitting we'll also be out on our viewing deck for a tour of the night sky, with guidance on constellations and navigating your way around the sky. If the weather is against us there'll be additional talks and activities to bring the Universe to you and to answer your questions.

BIO:

Professor Raman Prinja is the Head of the Physics and Astronomy Department at UCL and his main research interests focus on the studies of the evolution and properties of the most massive stars in our Galaxy.

Using observations across several wave-bands and facilities such as radio, optical and ultraviolet telescopes (on the ground and in space), Raman investigates how the most massive stars feedback chemical elements and structure to the galaxies. His work also studies progenitor stars that lead to detonations as supernovae, resulting in neutron stars and black holes.

Raman has been awarded the Pol and Christiane Swings research prize and is a multiple winner of the Provost, MAPS Faculty and Department Teaching awards