PUBLIC LECTURE: Black Holes and Galaxies

Speaker: Professor Reinhard Genzel, Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, FRG & Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, USA

Lecture Abstract: Evidence has been accumulating for several decades that many galaxies harbour central mass concentrations that may be in the form of black holes with masses between a few million to a few billion time the mass of the Sun. Professor Genzel will discuss measurements over the last two decades, employing high resolution infrared and radio imaging and spectroscopy on large ground-based telescopes that prove the existence of such a massive black hole in the Center of our Milky Way, beyond any reasonable doubt. These data also provide key insights into its properties and environment. Future interferometric studies of the Galactic Center black hole promise to be able to test gravity in its strong field limit. Professor Genzel will also briefly summarize the cosmological evolution of massive black holes.

This lecture is part of the International Year of Astronomy Lecture Series. This series of free public lectures celebrates the UN International Year of Astronomy which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo. The speakers chosen for this West Australian series have been selected by the Astronomical Society of Australia as leaders in their field who each have an exceptional ability to communicate the excitement of astronomy to the general public. We invite you to participate in this unique series of events.