Marie Drake Planetarium is Jan. 16 hosting a presentation on gravitational waves.
Gravitational waves were predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity in 1916 but not observed until 2015. They’re created by extremely dense objects, like neutron stars and black holes, orbiting in pairs. The dynamics of these objects distort space-time, creating ripples that can be detected with sensitive instruments. Three American scientists received the 2017 Nobel prize in Physics for their role in the discovery. The talk is aimed at adults, but anyone may attend.
The talk, given by Steve Kocsis, will be preceded by “The Stars Tonight” on the planetarium’s Spitz projector. It’s a chance to see what the stars would look like over Juneau with a clear sky.
The event is Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.
