UM Lockhart Public Astrophysics Lecture: Dr. Matt Taylor

Please join the University of Manitoba's Department of Physics & Astronomy on October 30th for the second Lockhart Public Lecture! Please join the University of Manitoba's Department of Physics & Astronomy on October 30th for the second Lockhart Public Astrophysics Lecture! Our speaker will be Dr. Matt Taylor from the University of Calgary. This event is free but seats are limited, so please book your tickets today, and see below for more details! Time: 7:30PM (doors at 7PM) Location: Room 201, Armes Lecture Building, 30B Sifton Road, University of Manitoba Admission: Free (limited seating) Pocket-Sized Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes: A Match Made in the Cosmos In the centres of all giant galaxies lurk black holes of immense mass. Termed "supermassive black holes", these behemoths typically follow a close relation with their hosts: the more massive the galaxy, the more massive the black hole. However, some galaxies seem to buck this trend. In this talk, Dr. Matt Taylor of the University of Calgary will discuss the recent discovery of two supermassive black holes found in unexpectedly small galaxies. Based on observations made with the James Webb Space Telescope, these two black holes seem to be far too large for their tiny homes, with one even being found outside of the centre of its host. So how did they find themselves in their tiny homes? By following the clues these systems provide, we will find the answer and uncover what they can teach us about the surprising ways galaxies and their central black holes can grow — and shrink? — together. Dr. Matt Taylor is a Vancouver Island transplant working as an Assistant Professor of Astronomy at the University of Calgary. When not exploring Rocky Mountain trails or enjoying a tabletop game, he uses state-of-the-art telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope to search nearby galaxies for black holes that don’t want to be found.