7pm Saturday, 10 May
Avonport at 475 Bluff Road
Speaker: Roy Bishop
Topic: What Makes the Stars Shine?
Summary:
Life on Earth is composed of star stuff, and the nearest star sustains that life. The stars are clumps of mostly hydrogen and helium, clumps with masses neither too small nor too large. Atomic nuclei play a crucial role in the life of a star, giving each star a long but finite life, and orchestrating the demise of a star. In turn, quantum mechanics and the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces play key roles in determining what atomic nuclei are possible. As Obi-Wan Kenobe put it: “You must learn the ways of the force.” Roy will attempt to weave these various topics together, and end with some observations on a dying star whose dimming light has been shining on each one of us during the past few months.