Mapping the Dark Universe: The New Generation of Galaxy Surveys

About 95% of the Universe is made of things we cannot see. Dark matter holds galaxies together, while dark energy is pushing the Universe apart faster and faster. Nobody yet knows what either of them is.

A new generation of galaxy surveys is trying to find out, by mapping the Universe in more detail than ever before. From a telescope in Arizona, DESI is measuring the distances to tens of millions of galaxies to build a 3D map of the cosmos, and its first results hint that dark energy may be changing over time. In space, the European Space Agency's Euclid telescope is photographing more than a billion galaxies across a third of the sky. And in Chile, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has just started a ten-year survey that will film the whole southern sky every few nights.

Three scientists working on these experiments will explain how they work and what they could reveal in the coming years. After a break with pizza, they will join a panel discussion on how the surveys complement and check each other, with questions from the audience.

The evening is for everyone: students, researchers and anyone curious about the Universe. No background in physics is needed.

Programme

- 16:50 Doors open

- 17:00 Ofer Lahav (UCL): DESI

- 17:30 Luigi Guzzo (University of Milan): Euclid

- 18:00 Andrina Nicola (University of Manchester): the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

- 18:30 Break with pizza and soft drinks

- 19:00 Panel discussion and audience questions, chaired by Alessio Spurio Mancini (Royal Holloway)

- 19:30 Close

Food

Free pizza and soft drinks during the break, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Getting there

Stewart House is at 32 Russell Square, part of the University of London's Senate House buildings in Bloomsbury. The nearest Underground station is Russell Square (Piccadilly line), about five minutes' walk. Goodge Street, Euston and King's Cross St Pancras are all within about fifteen minutes' walk.

Accessibility

If you have any access requirements, please contact the organiser before the event and we will do our best to help.

Photography and recording

Photographs may be taken during the event. By attending this event you agree that you may appear in them. The talks and the panel will not be recorded or streamed.

Code of conduct
The organisers are committed to making this event productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion. We will not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. Please follow these guidelines:

- Behave professionally. Harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or jokes are not appropriate. Harassment includes sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, sexual attention or innuendo, deliberate intimidation, stalking, and photography or recording of an individual without consent. It also includes offensive comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race or religion.

- All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate.

- Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other attendees.

Participants asked to stop any inappropriate behaviour are expected to comply immediately. Attendees violating these rules may be asked to leave the event at the sole discretion of the organisers.

Any participant who wishes to report a violation of this policy is asked to speak, in confidence, to the event chair.

This code of conduct is based on the "London Code of Conduct", designed for the conference "Accurate Astrophysics. Correct Cosmology" (London, July 2015) and adapted with permission by Andrew Pontzen and Hiranya Peiris from a document by Software Carpentry: https://github.com/apontzen/london_cc

Event venue & nearby stays

Stewart House, Royal Holloway London Campus, 32 Russell Square, London, United Kingdom

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