Macquarie - Centre of the Universe
"Macquarie - Centre of the Universe" is a week-long program of astronomical events to celebrate National Science Week and National Engineering Week.
From 18-24 August CSIRO and Macquarie University will host activities for the public including movies, Australian and international speakers and tours of the Macquarie University Observatory.
Other National Science Week and National Engineering Week activities at Macquarie University.
Public talk - Fred Watson - Telescopes of the future
The telescope is literally the world's most far-reaching invention. It is a time machine, allowing us to look billions of years into the past for answers to some of our most profound questions. In its 400-year history, the telescope has progressed from a crudely-fashioned tube holding a couple of spectacle lenses to colossal structures housed in space-age cathedrals - and, increasingly, sophisticated machines surveying the universe from space. In this talk Fred Watson will take us on a time-tour of telescopes, from their earliest days to the complex machines we have now, and give us a sneak-peek at future telescopes, some of them only yet imagined. He'll also discuss how telescopes have changed our view of the universe, and what astronomers hope to learn with them in future.
Join Professor Fred Watson (Astronomer-in-Charge of the Anglo Australian Observatory and ABC commentator) and a panel of astronomy and engineering experts in a discussion about current and future technologies and what they can tell us about the universe.
Who should attend: general public
Date: Saturday 18 August
Time: 7.30-9pm
Location: Macquarie Theatre, Macquarie University
Bookings required: contact Rachel Rizk 02 9850 6045, rachel.rizk@mq.edu.au
Cost: free
Parking: The best parking for this event is in carparks W1, W2 or C1. Parking is free for this event.
Maps of campus: http://www.ofm.mq.edu.au/maps_campus.htm
Further Information and Speaker Biography
Movies at Macquarie special double feature - Solarmax and Descent to Titan
Solarmax
Every 11 years the sun's poles reverse with unimaginable violence. The peak of the storm is called a solar maximum. The hottest film under the sun, Solarmax is a breathtaking exploration into the awesome vastness and mysterious power of our closest star. Take a unique journey through time and space, and experience the sun's severe force and beauty.
Descent to Titan
This is the gripping story of the Huygens probe's journey to Titan, Saturn's enigmatic moon. Never before had anyone attempted to land a spacecraft on such a distant world and the tension mounts as the final dramatic moments of Huygens' descent begins.
Following the movies a panel of experts from CSIRO and Macquarie University (Quentin Parker, Graham Town and Chris Phillip) will discuss solar maximum and other astronomical phenomena as well as the feats in engineering that made the creation of the movies possible.
Who should attend: general public
Date: Sunday 19 August
Time: 6pm
Location: Macquarie Theatre, Macquarie University
Cost: free
Further enquiries: contact Emma Norton 02 9850 6079, emma.norton@mq.edu.au
Further Information and Speaker Biographies
Observatory tours and astronomical imaging
This interactive evening allows participants to take tours of Macquarie University's Observatory, gaze at the stars through telescopes and binoculars, and take home a CD of their own photos of the universe.
Who should attend: general public (Over 15 years of age)
Date: Monday 20, Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 August (Note: All nights are now fully booked)
Time: 6.30pm
Maximum number of people: 15
Location: Macquarie University Observatory
Bookings required: This event is now fully booked.
Cost: $10 per person or $25 a family
Parking: The best car park is the N3 car park near the observatory (access via Gymnasium Rd). This car park offers 2 hours free parking, with tickets available from the ticket machine [press (-) then (+) then the green button to get a free ticket after 6pm]. Parking is then unrestricted after 8pm, but do not proceed to the ancillary car park past the ticket machine as the gate may be locked at any time after 6pm.
Maps of campus: http://www.ofm.mq.edu.au/maps_campus.htm
Special note: This tour will not operate if the weather is cloudy
Public Talk - Joe Silk - The Dark Side of the Universe
The emergence of cosmic structure is an outcome that has been studied by peering back through the mists of time to the remote depths of the universe as well as by deciphering the fossil structure of nearby galaxies. One of the greatest mysteries in the cosmos is that it is mostly dark. That is, not only is the observed night-sky dark, but also most of the matter in the universe whose existence is directly inferred from the observations - is dark. For every atom visible in planets, stars and galaxies today there exists at least five or six times as much "Dark Matter" in the universe.
Astronomers today are seeking to unravel the nature of this mysterious, but pervasive Dark Matter, and determine whether it can be detected. Nor does the mystery rest only with dark matter, as there is also a dark force, dubbed "Dark Energy" and originally postulated by Einstein in the form of the cosmological constant, that is systematically accelerating the universe. Indeed, Dark Energy accounts for two-thirds of the mass-energy density of the Universe, and understanding its origin and nature presents one of the greatest challenges in physics. Joe Silk will review the status of ongoing searches for the dark components of the universe.
Who should attend: general public
Date: Friday 24 August
Time: 6.30-7.30pm
Location: Macquarie Theatre, Macquarie University
Bookings required: contact Rachel Rizk 02 9850 6045, rachel.rizk@mq.edu.au
Cost: free
Parking: The best parking for this event is in carparks W1, W2 or C1. Parking is free for this event.
Maps of campus: http://www.ofm.mq.edu.au/maps_campus.htm
Further Information and Speaker Biography
"Macquarie - Centre of the Universe" is a joint project between CSIRO and Macquarie University for National Science Week and National Engineering Week, 2007.