Free Astronomy Talk: Ethanol in the Ether
At the Museum | Farrand Auditorium
Join us for an introduction to chemistry in the cold universe. Las Cumbres Observatory Operations Scientist Nikolaus Volgenau, Ph.D., will describe how simple molecules—including alcohol—form inside dark interstellar clouds, and how astronomers detect them. This free in-person talk is presented by the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit.
Dr. Volgenau’s primary responsibilities for Las Cumbres Observatory’s global network of telescopes are improving the quality of the observatory's data and providing support for the observatory's users. Volgenau earned his doctorate in astronomy from the University of Maryland with a dissertation project to map the motions of dense, star-forming clouds in the millimeter-wave emission from various molecules. Before joining LCO, he spent seven years at Caltech's Owens Valley Radio Observatory, where he was the assistant director for operations of the CARMA (Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy) interferometer.
No tickets or reservations required. Questions? Contact Director of Education Rosina Garcia at rgarcia@sbnature2.org or 805-682-4711 ext. 172.
Colour composite of visible and near-infrared images of the dark cloud Barnard 68 by ESO, obtained with the 8.2-m VLT ANTU telescope and the multimode FORS1 instrument
