Name: Astronomy Lecture - Cosmic Fireworks
Start: 2025-08-22T20:00:00-07:00
Location: 1216 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, United States, California 91125

What causes the cosmic flashes that we see in the sky? What will the new Rubin Observatory observe when it begins operation in a few months? Join us for a 30-minute lecture about the cosmic fireworks and astronomical transients, followed by a panel Q&A consisting of several astrophysicists to answer your questions about astronomy and space science.
This public astronomy event will be hosted both in-person as well as live-streamed over YouTube Live. The lecture will be 30 minutes, followed by a 90-minute session of telescope-aided stargazing and a Q&A Panel consisting of experts in the department on a variety of astronomy and astrophysical topics. You can attend in person or interact with us through the YouTube interface. Event is free and open to all, no reservations necessary.
For more information including a link to the YouTube Livestream and directions to Caltech, click on the poster image or visit our webpage: http://outreach.astro.caltech.edu
Title: Cosmic Fireworks: How Astronomers Explore the Changing Sky
Lecturer: Sam Rose
Abstract:
The Universe evolves over the course of billions of years—a timescale almost incomprehensible to humans. But there are some things in the night sky that change much faster. Spectacular explosions of massive stars dying, pulsing stars, and comets and asteroids drifting through our Solar System are all examples of changes in the sky that happen over the course of weeks, months, or years. These events which cause new sources of light to appear and disappear in the sky are called “astronomical transients.” In this talk, we will explore the history of astronomical transients: including observations of an exploding star by Chinese astronomers in 1054 CE, the search for comets over the centuries, and the first large-scale surveys of the sky using the Mt. Wilson and Palomar observatories. We will also cover the next-generation efforts to detect these events using Caltech's very own Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and the brand new Vera Rubin Observatory, which will reveal millions of new asteroids and supernovae across the sky in the coming years.