Galactic Paleontology with JWST: Finding Living Fossils in the Ancient Universe
Today, Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
Online and In-Person Event
Chuck Steidel (PhD '90)
Lee A. DuBridge Professor of Astronomy, Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
Since it began its scientific mission in July 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided the first detailed glimpses of the most distant reaches of the observable universe, when the first galaxies were emerging more than 13 billion years ago. History suggests that opening new observational windows leads to entirely unanticipated discoveries, and JWST has already begun to fulfill that promise. In this lecture, Steidel will explore what enables the unprecedented power of JWST for studying galaxy formation in its infancy and what we can expect to learn from JWST images and spectra over the next several years.
ABOUT THE EVENT
This lecture will be presented in a hybrid format, allowing for both virtual viewers and in-person attendees. No advance registration is required for either format.
How to watch online
The lecture can be viewed via livestream on caltech.edu/watson or on Caltech's YouTube channel. Virtual viewers can submit questions for the lecturer through the YouTube chat feed. Select questions will be answered after the lecture during the audience Q&A.
How to attend in person
Local participants can attend the lecture inside Caltech's Beckman Auditorium. Doors open at 7 p.m. By entering the auditorium, attendees attest to being fully vaccinated or having a legal medical exemption. Masks are optional at Beckman Auditorium. In-person attendees can ask questions during the audience Q&A immediately following the program.
ABOUT THE SERIES
The 2022–2023 season marks the centennial of The Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series, which has brought Caltech's most innovative scientific research to the public since the Friday Evening Demonstrations premiered in October of 1922. The series is named for Earnest C. Watson, a professor of physics at Caltech from 1919 until 1959. The Watson Lectures are geared toward a general audience as part of the Institute's ongoing commitment to benefiting the local community through education and outreach. All Watson lectures are free and open to the public.
UPCOMING