Dr. Robert Benjamin, UWW Dept. of Physics, will talk about “The 3D Milky Way Galaxy” on Friday, May 6th, at 8pm (Upham Hall 140). This is the final spring 2011 Whitewater Observatory Lecture. A public viewing session at Whitewater Observatory will follow the lecture at 9:15pm, weather permitting.
LECTURE ABSTRACT
“Spiral galaxies like our own Milky Way Galaxy are very thin compared to their radius, similar to a DVD. But as it turns out, they are not perfectly flat. It has been known for years that the gas in between the stars warps above and below the mid-plane in the outer parts of the Milky Way. My own research this year shows that the layer of stars warps in a similar way. I will recount history of this research, talk about what causes these warps, and end with the newest map of the warped 3D structure of our Galaxy. As a bonus, I will be able to provide the inside story on the discovery of a new section of spiral arms in our Milky Way. It’s not my discovery, but it’s a pretty interesting story.”
Like to learn more? Andersen Library can help! Search the article databases to find articles such as “A Magellanic origin for the warp of the Galaxy” (The Astrophysical Journal, 2006, vol.641, pp.L33-L36).
Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.
