Astronomy Talk: Decoding the Contents of Distant Galaxies

Guest Speaker:

Alice Shapley

Professor and Vice Chair for Astronomy and Astrophysics

University of California, Los Angeles

Our Milky Way is one of countless galaxies in the universe. Understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies remains one of the great challenges of modern cosmology. Key outstanding questions include: What drives stars to form in individual galaxies? How do galaxies exchange material with their intergalactic environments? How do the impressive variety of galactic structures that we observe today assemble? How do supermassive black holes affect the evolution of their host galaxies? Dr. Shapley will explain how the spectra of distant galaxies observed in the early universe provide unique insight into these key questions.

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W. M. Keck Observatory wishes to offer our deepest gratitude to our Astronomy Talk Series sponsors, Rob and Terry Ryan.