Afternoon Astronomy Coffee Hangout on 8 December

“Dragonfly 44: A Mysterious Galaxy Made of Mostly Dark Matter"
Afternoon Astronomy Coffee Hangout

If dark matter is, well, dark, how can it be found? Remarkably, a team of astronomers found a galaxy made almost entirely of dark matter by using several powerful telescopes. The galaxy is called Dragonfly 44 and was largely ignored because it is so faint and seemingly insignificant. After another look with Dragonfly Telephoto Array, it appeared that this galaxy in the constellation Coma deserved closer inspection. Using the large telescopes in Hawaii, they found a number of stars and measured their velocities and found a surprising result.

Join Tony Darnell and Carol Christian on Thursday, 8 December, at 3:00 pm ET as they chat with Dr. Pieter van Dokkum (Yale University), Dr. Roberto Abraham (University of Toronto), and collaborators about how the object was found and the observations used to determine its "dark" secret. The best place to hangout with us will be on YouTube, broadcast on the Deep Astronomy Channel. You can also take part in the live chat, tune in via the on Deep Astronomy Facebook page, and join the conversation on Twitter with #AstroCoffee. Archives of previous hangouts in this series may be found in a Deep Astronomy YouTube playlist.

What Are Afternoon Astronomy Coffee and Future in Space Hangouts?

Future In Space” and "Afternoon Astronomy Coffee" Hangouts are part of a weekly series, held every Thursday, that also includes a segment on Footsteps to Mars. We bring the the latest research in astronomy, highlights from the future of space astronomy and astronautics planning, as well as updates on the exploration of Mars to you every week via Hangouts on Air. With the cooperation of both the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and the American Astronautical Society (the other AAS), our hosts Tony Darnell, Carol Christian, Alberto Conti, and Harley Thronson bring you topics that examine today's breakthroughs in research and look forward to peer into the unfolding possibilities of what we may learn about the universe and Mars exploration. We join with members of the American Astronomical Society to chat, in an informal online setting modeled after "science coffee" events held in universities and research organizations across the country. We will examine what we hope to learn about exoplanets, black holes, the early universe, quasars, and life in the universe along with what technologies might help us — and reflect upon the scientific endeavors occurring today that uncover amazing astrophysics and lay the groundwork for studies to come.

We will also explore the technology and engineering used today as well as possibilities for future space travel and research with members of both Societies, and probe what our future in space may look like and how we might get there. We will examine the underlying technologies of space telescopes, orbiters, landers, and human space vehicles now and in the years to come. We will delve into topics that help us understand the possibilities and limitations of human space flight and eventual human colonization of other worlds.

We hope you can join us each month as we bring experts from both Societies — people who think about and plan for our future in space — to your computer, tablet, or smartphone. We invite you to bring your questions and comments and get ready to learn about the amazing possibilities for the future of space astronomy and exploration.

 
– Carol Christian, Center for Emerging Media
   Alberto Conti, Northrop Grumman