- DURATION 4 x 60 mins
Event Description
Four talks that explore the current limits of our understanding of the Universe. Along the way we’ll take a side look at some of the telescopes & people that are challenging our scientific theories.
1) Black Holes (12th January)
In this talk we will explore what exactly scientists mean by Black Holes. Are they really “black”? In what sense are they “holes” in the universe? Since they are thought to be the ultimate fate of many stars when they reach the end of their lives, they must populate the whole of space – but thankfully none are on our immediate doorstep!
2) Cosmic Tides in the Universe (19th January)
From the Earth to Space, the effect of tides shapes our world. All tides are caused by massive objects (moons, stars etc) which exert a pull on any nearby companion. In our case, the rise and fall of colossally large amounts of water as the moon orbits our planet. But the same science exerts its influence on some of the most massive objects & biggest scales in the known Universe – galaxies.
3) Past & Future Universes – the Biggest Possible Picture! (2nd February)
In this talk we’ll look at the evidence for the birth of the universe we see around use. Then we’ll fast track to the future and try and guess what might happen ahead of us. Quite probably there will no longer be any stars, thereby offering a possible very dark future. Or maybe it will all explode and the universe will start all over again. Either way it shouldn’t affect your summer holiday plans!
4) Astronomy from South Africa (9th February)
From the early pioneers to one of the largest telescopes in the world. For two centuries astronomers have explored the southern sky from the viewpoint of the region around Cape Town. It was initially pretty challenging for the early astronomers – wandering around in the dark surrounded by snakes, leopards etc! But now South Africa provides astronomers with safe access to some of the very best telescopes in the world. And some of the clearest views of the Universe.
- Duration: 4 x 60 mins
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (no replay available)
Meet the Host, Malcolm
Malcolm Coe is an Emeritus Professor of Astronomy at the University of Southampton, UK. For over 4 decades he transmitted his enthusiasm for astronomy to hundreds of students, winning awards for his creative teaching style. He gave popular astronomy talks on cruise ships for over a decade as well as countless lectures to adult groups and school children. In 2017 he had an asteroid named after himself.
Preparing for the Event
For the best experience, you will need to have Zoom downloaded onto your computer. Please ensure you're connected to broadband/wifi rather than using your mobile phone connection (3G/4G).
We also recommend that pets are either calmly sitting on your lap or in another room, and any refreshments you may require are within your reach!
More Information
What if I can’t make the event?
If a recording’s available for the event, you can still register for it and we will send you an email with a link to a recording shortly after it ends.
Will my camera be on and will I be visible to the other people?
Your camera and microphone does not need to be on for you to enjoy the event. The choice about whether to do this is completely yours.
How do I watch the live event?
Rest Less events are hosted on Zoom, a computer application that allows you to attend online events just by clicking a link. For detailed instructions, please go to our "FAQ" page, which you can find a link to in the nav bar at the top of the page.
How do I sign-up for and access the recording? (Recorded events only)
Book the event as normal (as if you are attending live). After the event ends you will automatically receive a post-event email with a link to the recording, as long as the event was recorded. You do not need to do anything else and there is no separate booking process for recordings only. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for Zoom to process recordings.