NRF|SAAO Cape Town Open Night
September 12 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Join us for Open Nights at the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF/SAAO) in Cape Town, held on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
Each evening begins with an engaging presentation on astronomy or a related field of science, followed by a guided tour of the Observatory’s rich history—including our library, museum, and the historic 120-year-old McClean Telescope.
Weather permitting, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy stargazing through the Observatory’s outreach telescopes.
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- Gates open at 7:30 PM.
- Free entry for children aged 6 and under.
Please email cptbookings@saao.ac.za or call +27 21 447 0025 if you have any queries regarding bookings.
Speaker: Henco Arlow
Bio: Henco Arlow is a PhD student in Astronomy at the University of Cape Town. His research focuses on galaxy evolution and the regulation of star formation in starburst galaxies. He is currently using data from large survey projects conducted with the MeerKAT telescope in the Karoo to investigate how some of the fastest-evolving galaxies use and replenish their gas reservoirs. His work aims to build a better understanding of how these galaxies sustain their intense star formation and, ultimately, what they may evolve into.
Abstract:
Cosmic Tantrums: A look into hyperactive galaxies
Some galaxies behave. Others decidedly do not. Some are churning out new stars at rates far higher than normal. Others unleash enormous jets of high-energy material into space. Some collide with one another, while others gradually run out of the fuel they need to form new stars. But why? Why do some galaxies we observe have such a violent and turbulent nature, while others, like our own Milky Way, appear relatively peaceful in comparison? In this talk, I’ll start with the basics: what exactly is a galaxy, and what is it made of? From there, I’ll introduce some of the more restless galaxy variants: starburst galaxies and active galactic nuclei. What causes these galaxies to suddenly become so active? What role do things like gas, star formation, supermassive black holes, and galaxy collisions play? Can these violent episodes ultimately cause a galaxy to die out, and perhaps most importantly: could our own Milky Way one day throw a tantrum of its own..?