Announcement: Univ of Hawaii, Astronomy Presents: "Astronomy's Limitless Journey"

By Dr. Gunther Hasinger
Friday, Jan 26th at 8:30 PM PST
Institute for Astronomy - U. Hawaii Astronomy Amphitheater: 

Alliance, Chaminade University (49, 205, 4002)

And on the web: http://tinyurl.com/ifamaui

Astrophysicist Günther Hasinger takes the reader on a journey to the far reaches of the universe—an exciting time travel that begins with the incredibly hot fireball of the Big Bang roughly 13.8 billion years ago and ends in distant eons with its cold, dark demise.

This is a special event as this is the 100th public talk we have given and it's Dr. Hasinger's last one as head of the Institute for Astronomy.

Announcement: "The Universe in 2016: A House of Cards?"

By:  Dr. Yuan M. Unson
Friday, Feb 5th at 8:30 PM PST
Institute for Astronomy - U. Hawaii Astronomy Amphitheater

The "Big Bang" model is a good description of the Universe.  In 2016, we know the value of the key parameters although we do not know what constitutes the majority of the matter and energy content of the Universe.

Measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation as well as of type Ia supernova explosions indicate that the dynamics of the Universe is determined by some kind of "dark energy" which causes the expansion of the Universe to accelerate.

There are significant challenges to our understanding:  we do not know the nature of key components and there appears to be insufficient time for the evolution of the stars, galaxies and structures that we see.  While these might be just details to be worked out, it is instructive to remember that in 1900 Physics was considered a "complete and finished" science just before the Quantum revolution pulled out the rug from under the "Classical" description.

Alliance, Chaminade University, CUH Alliance (49, 205, 4002)

Press Release: UH Astronomy Presents "Gold Rush in Space" This Friday

By Dr. Mark Willman
Friday, Mar 28th at 9:30 PDT
Astronomy Ampitheater:   http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chaminade%20University/56/204/21

The space age started in 1959, and commercial exploitation of Earth's orbital space is now well advanced.  However, business has just begun to target space beyond Earth's orbit.  Last year, two companies formed to mine asteroids for minerals.  Whether these ventures come up empty or produce a huge bonanza depends on how much valuable ore is accessible.