Dr Caroline Crawford

Astronomers with Many Eyes

Dr Caroline Crawford from the Cambridge Institute of Astronomy, who was invited by the Lowestoft & Yarmouth Regional Astronomers, gave an in-depth lecture on the many ways stars and galaxies can be seen, which was held at Kirkley High School library.

The main theme of her talk was about how astronomers can now use various sources of infra-red, x-rays and gamma rays, as well as visible light to see the hidden parts of the universe. Modern technology that has given astronomers many forms of eyes to see the unseeable has lead to exciting new discoveries about how stars, planets and galaxies are formed.

Using an overhead projector, she first introduced the audience to one of the more recent images in visible light of distant galaxies that can be seen, stating that this was only the tip of the ice-burg of the vast observable sky.

She then went on to talk about the origin of the universe that is believed to have started with the Big Bang. Evidence of that distant event has now been imaged that shows up as a cosmic microwave background.

Following the introduction, Dr Crawford gave a brief outline of high school physics, speaking about light, low and high end frequencies of the magnetic spectrum. In astronomy such frequencies are often referred to as 'temperature' that shows up as varying colours on images, indicating cold and hot regions of space.

Her lecture then continued with the subject of stars, planetary and galaxy formation and of black holes; and towards the end of the lecture Dr Crawford presented an amazing selection of images taken in infra red, visible light and x-rays to illustrate how the same galaxy can look so different using different imaging sources. It's those differences that can tell us so much more than images taken in visible light image, which was the only source available just a few short years ago.

Finally, at the close of the talk she presented one of the most important images to date; an x-ray image of a group of stars and galaxies that shows their interactions with related black holes, which is the latest images available showing exciting processes going on in the universe.

Imaging sources beyond visible light have therefore opened up new frontiers for modern astronomers, giving them extra eyes that have proven there is much more going on in the night sky than might have imagined.

Ron Larter

Media & Publications for LYRA

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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/