CANCELED DUE TO SNOW!

The title of our January talk is a bit unusual. You might have thought twice about attending if the title read, “Discovery of an Under-luminous Type 1a Supernova Progenitor in Our Cosmic Backyard ”. Or, what if the talk was entitled, “A Zombie Star Lurking in Our Cosmic Backyard”. (These are actual titles used by our January speaker to describe his presentation)

Sounds like three different presentations! Confused? Interested?
The titles are unusual, but the astrophysics is on the cutting edge of astronomy.

Type 1a supernovae are important tools for determining the expansion history and fate of our universe. Models show that Type 1A supernovas occur when a white dwarf star explodes upon reaching the ignition temperature for carbon fusion, either through mass accretion or merger with a binary companion. Unfortunately, however, no candidate systems for this type of explosion have been conclusively identified. Our speaker will describe the discovery of a pair of objects that will likely explode as *underluminous* Type 1a supernovas. Surprisingly, this system is located in our solar neighborhood. When it explodes, its brightness will rival the brightest stellar event in recorded history. Our speaker will conclude by discussing the complications that under-luminous Type 1a supernovae present to our current understanding of cosmology.

Our January speaker, Brad Barlow, was recently appointed as an Assistant Professor of Astrophysics at High Point University. Join with us on the 28th at 7:30 PM as he explains the FUSS that could be created by underluminous supernovas.

Update

Hi FAS folks:

Our next meeting will be this Tuesday, January 28, at 7:30 PM at Sci-Works. This month’s program will be a presentation on Type 1a supernovas by Brad Barlow, Assistant Professor of Astrophysics at High Point University. Type 1a supernovas are important tools for determining the expansion history and eventual fate of our universe. Our speaker will describe the discovery of a pair of objects that will likely explode as “underluminous” Type 1a supernovas; surprisingly, this system is located in our solar neighborhood. By coincidence, there is a bright supernova just discovered last week in M82, the cigar galaxy member of the well-known M81/M82 pair in Ursa Major, and easily visible in moderate-sized scopes now.

As usual, there will be a short business meeting after the program. Let me know if there is anything you want to add to the agenda.

See you there!

Steve C.

CANCELED DUE TO SNOW!