Supermassive Black Holes: Monsters Lurking in the Hearts of Galaxies

Black holes are some of the most exotic and extreme objects in the Universe. Though they may sound like the stuff of science fiction, they are real and much more common than you may think; every galaxy has one lurking at its center! In this talk, we will explore exactly what a supermassive black hole is and how we can find them. I will share how the latest data from an array of telescopes across the Earth and in space are revealing what is happening to material in its final moments before it plunges through the event horizon. From these observations, we are learning how material falling into supermassive black holes powers some of the most spectacular celestial light shows, so powerful that they have a profound effect on the development of structure in the Universe as we see it today.

Speaker: Dan Wilkins, Kavli Institute, Stanford University

Register at weblink to attend in person or online