Have you ever wondered how the universe began, how it will end, and everything in between? Maybe you do not have the time to read the many fantastic astronomy books on the subject, or you think that they might be too technical for you to understand.
 
This summer, GoSpaceWatch, with Dr Steve Barrett from the University of Liverpool, presents a series of online talks designed to encompass some of the popular questions about the universe. Four talks, each taking just half an hour, over four weeks, and aimed to give the enquiring mind a better understanding of our current knowledge of our universe.
 
This special Zoom series is free to attend after registration. Open to all, from beginners to those who already know a little astronomy. Register once to attend all four talks.
 
Week 1: Tuesday 10th August 7:30 UK. The Beginning of Everything After the Big Bang it took about three minutes to make all of the matter that we see today and kick-start the Universe. If this happened 13.8 billion years ago, how can we be so sure?
 
Week 2: Tuesday 17th August 7:30 UK. The ABC of Stars and Galaxies How stars and galaxies are born, how they live and how they die. A star might live for millions or even trillions of years, and during its lifetime it can evolve and change its behaviour. This talk looks at the main factors (the ABC) that determine how stars evolve and how galaxies form and grow.
 
Week 3: Tuesday 24th August 7:30 UK. Black Holes How dead stars warp space and time. What are black holes and how are they formed? If they are black, how can we 'see' them? Are they responsible for the enigmatic dark matter that seems to be spread throughout the Universe?
 
Week 4: Tuesday 31st August 7:30 UK. Keeping an eye on the Universe. What do telescopes tell us about how the Universe works? A look at some of the images taken by the largest telescopes on (and off) the Earth and how they have contributed to our understanding of the origin, the evolution and the ultimate fate of the Universe.
 
Free Registration via Eventbrite at: https://universehhaat.eventbrite.co.uk

Members - remember to log in to read additional articles which are available to members only.

The Society has setup a YouTube channel to allow members and the public watch again those recent lectures that we have recorded from Zoom.  This collection will grow over time and it is hoped that once we can resume lectures in person at University of Strathclyde we will still be able to record and share lectures on YouTube.

 


Dr Queenie Chan answers questions after her successful lecture
entitled "Meteorites and the Search for Life", September 2019
Image: Paul Makin

The ASG's free public lectures for the 2020-21 session are as follows. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic our normal venue at University of Strathclyde is closed and public lecture will instead be held online via Zoom.  Access links for the Zoom sessions will be posted below before each lecture.  Some lectures can be watched again on the ASG's YouTube channel.  All lectures start at 19:30