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Other Birmingham events

Reach for the stars

This venue has step-free access, but does not have accessible toilets.
Past event - 2022
10 May Doors 6pm
Event 7.30-9.00pm
Dig Brew Co., 43 River Street,
Birmingham B5 5SA
Sold Out!
Join us as we journey across the stars to discover the mysteries behind them! Along the way see how stars led to the discovery of the Big Bang and find out what goes on inside the biggest nuclear reactors in existence. We’ll also explore the unique effects of star systems hidden in the expanse of the universe. Grab a pint as our speakers guide you through an evening dedicated to all things stars!

How far is that star? Pulsations, supernovae and the Big Bang

Adam McMaster (PhD Researcher)
In 1908, Henrietta Swan Leavitt made a curious discovery that led to a revolution in astronomy: some unstable stars pulsate at a speed closely tied to their brightness. Join me as I tell the story of how this seemingly trivial fact enabled the first measurements of the distance to another galaxy, and combined with measurements of distant supernovae, led to the realisation of the true size of the Universe and the discovery of the Big Bang. I’ll also tell you how you can contribute to the ongoing search for pulsating stars today through our citizen science project, SuperWASP Variable Stars.

Nuclear astrophysics: understanding the very big by looking at the very small

Mark Griffiths (PhD Researcher)
When people think of nuclear reactors they often think of big cooling towers, glowing green goo and blinking control panels. They usually don’t think of the biggest nuclear reactors in existence: stars. There are countless nuclear reactions happening every second in every single star. These reactions help explain the abundances of different elements that we observe in the universe today. This talk will focus on one set of nuclear reactions, known as the rapid neutron-capture process, and how measurements performed on earth can deepen our understanding of processes in far-away stars.

How not to confuse a star with a planet

Oleg Kozhura (PhD Researcher)
People usually think of stars as flaming spheres of gas floating alone in the vastness of space, but it is not correct. Many stars are members of multiple systems, where two or more stars coexist in proximity, orbiting around a common centre of mass. Such multiple systems are fascinating and have many unique effects. However, as we usually search for exoplanets by analysing eclipses, it is possible to confuse a planet with an eclipse in the multiple system, which causes a false positive detection. Let us explore this puzzle and see what systems are hidden in the expanse of space.
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