UofT AstroTour: Falling Into a Black Hole: From Spaghettification to Singularity
Speaker: Nick Tacik
Black holes are one of the most fascinating objects in the universe. From science fiction to the offices of astrophysicists, their mystery has captivated many. But what do we really know about them? Surprisingly, a whole lot! What happens when you fall into a black hole? What happens when two black holes collide? How do we know black holes really exist? What is a wormhole? Is spaghettification even a real word? In this talk, Nick Tacik will answer all these questions, and more, about the wondrous world of black holes.
About the Speaker
Nick Tacik is a final year PhD student in the department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. He received his BSc from McGill University in 2009. He is interested in numerical relativity super-computer simulations of rapidly rotating binary neutron stars as well as binary black holes. He grew up in Regina and finds the Toronto winters cool and mild.
The U of T Astronomy Public Tour, or AstroTour, is a monthly event operated by the graduate students of the U of T Astronomy Department. The Tour features a public lecture by a member of the Department on topics ranging from their research to great moments in astronomical history. Following the lecture, tour-goers can peer at the night sky through the Department’s balcony and dome telescopes, or watch a planetarium show run live by astronomer. Admission to the tour is free. Seating for the lecture is on a first-come, first-served basis (doors open ten minutes before the start of the lecture), and the telescope observing is walk-in.
Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Reservations: Only required for Planetarium Shows (available September 24th at noon)
Organized by: Graduate Astronomy Students Association. The AstroTours are generously financed by the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Location: University of Toronto, Lash Miller Chemical Laboratories (LM 159), 80 St George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3H6