The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, a flagship astronomy and astrophysics project currently under construction on a mountaintop in Chile, will be named for astronomer Vera Rubin, a key figure in the history of the search for dark matter.
astronomy
Astronomers strive to understand the structure and evolution of stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Take a short journey through the history of astronomy by viewing some of the field’s most influential works, currently on exhibit in the display case in the Fermilab Art Gallery. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
From CNN, Feb. 16, 2019: Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln discusses the Zwicky Transient Facility, a massive sky-survey instrument designed to scan the heavens and look for “transients” or things that brighten unexpectedly. When the instrument sees a change, alerts go out to other astronomers subscribed to the service, who can then use even more powerful telescopes to study the transient event in detail. Even the public can get a daily summary of the previous night’s happenings.
From Slate, Jan. 17, 2019: Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln is quoted in this article on ‘Oumuamua, an object known to have originated outside our solar system.
From CNN, Jan. 3, 2019: Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln discusses NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft and Ultima Thule, a frigid, snowman-shaped block of ice located about 4 billion miles from the sun.
From CNN, Nov. 26, 2018: Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln details the planned landing sequence of NASA’s InSight spacecraft on Mars.
From CNN, Nov. 20, 2018: Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln talks about a stellar stream called S1, which consists of nearly 100 stars of similar age and composition, orbiting the Milky Way in a direction exactly opposite that of normal stars.
To keep up with an impending astronomical increase in data about our universe, astrophysicists turn to machine learning.
From NPR, Oct. 5, 2018: Astronomer Jill Tarter, chair emeritus for SETI Research at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, will present the lecture “A Cosmic Perspective: Searching For Aliens, Finding Ourselves” at Fermilab on Oct. 12.
From CNN, Sept. 14, 2018: Fermilab scientist Don Lincoln writes about Jocelyn Bell Burnell winning the Breakthrough Prize.