Deaths of massive stars, FROM SPACE!

with alumna Jennifer Andrews

Massive stars can do strange and exciting things in the years before they en d their lives in some of the brightest explosions in the Universe.  This often translates into unique and interesting observational traits of their supernovae (SNe), or even smaller explosions that mimic SNe but leave the massive star intact. With the addition of JWST to the Hubble Space Telescope, we are learning so much about the fates of massive stars and the supernovae they create, while at the same time obtaining the most beautiful and intriguing images of massive stars to date.  In this talk we will see the coolest images of the hottest stars, and learn how these cosmic recycle bins work.

Listening to the universe: gravitational waves from past to future

with Zachary Yarbrough

Since their detection in 2015, gravitational waves have provided a new perspective on the universe. I will discuss the past and future of gravitational wave physics as we prepare for the fourth LIGO observing run.