Moving Beyond the Visible Universe: Dark Clouds, Galaxy Collisions, and the Origin of Stars

Much of the astronomical research of the next decade is expected to focus on understanding the origins of planets, stars, galaxies, and even the universe itself. Millimeter-wave radio astronomy is a crucial tool in this quest for origins, because it allows us to probe into the cold, dark regions of space where many of these formation processes occur.

Christine Wilson will illustrate the promise and potential of these techniques using her own work on a spectacular collision between two spiral galaxies that has triggered the formation of massive clusters of stars. She will also present recent results from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, which have provided a unique view into the regions where stars form in our own Milky Way Galaxy.


Read The Hamilton Spectator article by Steve Buist