Technology can transform our picture of the universe overnight. When Galileo first turned his telescope toward the night sky in the 17th Century, he revealed an unexpected complexity in the heavens. Planets that had once just been wandering lights were revealed to be unique worlds with dynamic atmospheres and moons of their own.

The universe continues to change before our very eyes, and each new discovery brings as many new questions as answers. On Tuesday, (Feb 19) at the Davis public library, UC Davis astrophysicist Dr. J. Anthony Tyson will reveal some of the latest advances in our view of the universe and discuss how a revolutionary digital telescope will offer new ways to peer into the cosmos. The presentation, titled “The New Digital Sky: Exploring the Dark Side of the Universe,” is part of Explorit Science Center’s free Cutting Edge of Science Lecture Series, sponsored by Intel.

Tyson has pioneered the hunt for the mysterious matter and energy that can’t be observed directly because it neither emits nor reflects enough light. Scientists estimate that more than 90 percent of the matter and energy in the universe may be invisible.

Although this pool of energy and matter can’t be seen, it interacts with matter and energy that can be seen, providing the key to finding this elusive target. Tyson’s breakthrough has been to visualize dark matter indirectly when its gravity warps the path of light from distant stars and galaxies passing by.

Using this technique, Tyson has been able to “map” dark matter in space. Far from being an arcane wild-goose chase, the search for dark matter and dark energy has profound potential to transform our understanding of the evolution and future trajectory of the universe.

Tyson has also testified before Congress on another astronomical topic with profound implications for life on Earth – so called “near earth objects” that cross orbit with our planet and could one day even collide with it. Both the hunt for dark matter and the search for objects that might impact earth have inspired Dr. Tyson’s latest project, a revolutionary new telescope known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).

The LSST is a joint project involving scientists from many institutions, including UC Davis, and private donors such as Google in the construction of what is being billed as the largest digital camera ever constructed. To be built high atop an Andean peak in northern Chile, the LSST will rapidly scan the nighttime sky, taking thousands of pictures every three nights. The project will then integrate these photos into a “movie-like” picture of dynamic objects that move or change rapidly and are difficult to study with traditional telescopic techniques.

The LSST will make its collection of high-resolution images available to the public – fostering increased public interest and appreciation for the ground-based exploration of space. More information about the LSST project can be found at: http://www.lsst.org/lsst_home.shtml

The lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. and last about an hour, including a question-and-answer time. The Davis Public Library is located at 315 E 14th St.

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Explorit Science Center is open from 2-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11
a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission is $4 general, free for
teachers and ages 3 and under. Explorit is at 2801 Second Street, Davis.
For more information: (530) 756-0191 or www.explorit.org