Cosmic Microwave Background experiments have already contributed powerful constraints on the fundamental physics and astrophysics of the Universe. Current CMB experiments, such as the Simons Observatory, are poised to extend this progress even further. CMB experiments still have a wealth of information to offer, including probing the properties of dark matter, inflation, and light relic particles. In this presentation, Dr. Sehgal will discuss CMB-HD, a next-generation Stage-5 CMB facility, and the discoveries it can enable.  Dr. Neelima Sehgal is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook University.  She received her Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Rutgers University in 2008 and her B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from Yale University in 1999, with distinction in both fields.

Dr. Perna will guide us through the physics of binary neutron star mergers and the gravitational waves they produce. She will explain what neutron stars are, how their collisions generate ripples in spacetime, and what these events reveal about the universe—from the production of gamma-ray bursts to the synthesis of heavy elements.  Dr. Perna is a theoretical astrophysicist and Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook University. Her research spans a remarkably broad range of high-energy and cosmic phenomena, including:  High Energy Astrophysics: Gamma-ray bursts, neutron stars and magnetars, accretion disks, X-ray binaries, ultra-luminous X-ray sources, binary compact object mergers, gravitational waves and electromagnetic counterparts, and tidal disruption events.  In Cosmology: Gravitational lensing, interstellar medium and dust in high-redshift galaxies, foregrounds for CMB and 21 cm measurements, growth of supermassive black holes, and axions.

This is an ASLI Club Observing Night, open to everyone!  We set up in the parking lot of the Vanderbilt Museum and the lights are turned off for us for the evening. Bring your telescope or binoculars to our public observing session, or look through our telescopes which we set up for everyone to look through.  We can show you some of the wonderful objects in the night sky during the evening.  We will only have this observing session if there are perfectly clear skies, however.  Check this website the day of this event before coming to the event, just to make sure it has not been cancelled because of weather

In an engaging interview‑style format, we will dive into the most exciting recent developments in astronomy, space exploration, and physics. The conversation will be followed by an open Q&A where you can ask your own questions. Dr. Mitchell Revalski is a Senior Staff Scientist on the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) Team for the Hubble Space Telescope at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. In this role, he works on a variety of instrument calibration projects and leads the DrizzlePac Help Desk, supporting astronomers who process Hubble data. This past April, Hubble celebrated 36 years in space by releasing a stunning new image of the Trifid Nebula – a region it first photographed in 1997. The new view reveals changes in the nebula over human timescales and showcases the telescope’s improved cameras. We will also touch on other exciting developments, including the James Webb Space Telescope’s  studies of exoplanet atmospheres, new findings about galaxy evolution, and the latest from NASA’s Artemis program and commercial spaceflight.