Potpourri – November

Science of SNOLAB

Semoore Tijani – UofT

Located 2km deep underground in Creighton Mine, Sudbury, SNOLAB takes advantage of its unique environment to probe deep mysteries of the universe ranging from our theories about dark matter, to the elusive nature of neutrinos. This talk will give a general overview of the main experiments at SNOLAB and the unique requirements and challenges that come with working in that environment.

Orbital Characterization of White Dwarf Companion HD 165401B from Direct Imaging, Absolute Astrometry and Radial-Velocity Data

Shawncholi Ferdous and Vidhan Joshi – UofT

We will discuss the analysis of the recently imaged white dwarf companion HD 165401B, orbiting blue straggler primary HD 165401A. Using radial velocity (RV) measurements taken by ELODIE and KECK/HIRES over ∼28 years, in combination with absolute astrometry measured by Gaia and Hipparcos and direct imaging data from KECK/NIRC2, we aim to constrain the companion’s orbital parameters to better understand the system’s evolutionary history.

Morphologies on stellar streams

Rudhra Panchal – UofT

Stellar streams are recently being studied and are very interesting to watch. I will be showing some simulations from my research and will talk about how they form and shape the galaxies we look up to.

Get started with smartphone astrophotography

Beverly Bambury – RASC

You’ve seen the Milky Way in a smartphone’s astronomy mode before. But what if you could take pictures of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters? This talk will set you on the right path.

Adventures in Radio Astronomy: From Toronto to Korea to New Mexico

Matteo Statti – RASC

My adventures at the UofT Radio Astronomy Summer School, writing a quasar research journal in South Korea, and visiting the Very Large Array in New Mexico.