Milwaukee Astronomical Society Event Notice

enlarge photo

Close

The next meeting of the Milwaukee Astronomical Society will be on Friday November 19, 2010 at their observatory at 18850 Observatory Drive in New Berlin at 8:00 pm.

A lecture titled “Illuminating the Dark Cosmos: Dark Matter, Particle Physics, and Cosmology” will be presented by Zosia Krusberg, a doctoral candidate in theoretical physics at the University of Chicago .

Abstract: A century of precise astrophysical observations has presented physicists and astronomers with a profound cosmic mystery. Only a small fraction–about twenty percent–of the matter in the universe appears to be composed of familiar subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The remainder–aptly named dark matter–is invisible, and manifests itself only through its gravitational effects on stars, galaxies, and galaxy clusters throughout the universe. Motivated by these observations, experimental physicists have built extremely sensitive ground-based detectors that seek to detect dark matter particles through their scatterings with ordinary nuclei; after decades of operation, however, these experiments have failed to return any convincing evidence of detection. Nonetheless, the astrophysical evidence for the existence of dark matter has inspired generations of particle physicists to probe its identity at the forefront of theoretical particle physics. In this talk, I will discuss the vast evidence for the existence of dark matter, and explain the theories particle physicists believe offer an explanation for this mysterious dark matter that fills the universe.

The membership meetings of the MAS are free and open to members of the public who are interested in learning about astronomy although donations are welcome and are tax-deductible.

The society is non-profit organization that is supported by its members of active amateur astronomers.

The society was formed in 1932 and has operated a facility in New Berlin since that time. Members of the organization have and are continuing to conduct extensive research projects that have contributed to the science of astronomy.

Further information about the society including directions to the observatory and other pubic events can be found on our website at http://www.milwaukeeastro.org .