The Violent Universe: Crashing Asteroids, Exploding Stars, and Hungry Black Holes

Unlike the classic picture of a sky with peacefully twinkling stars, our modern view of the universe offers scenes of great violence -- violence that can turn planets unlivable, blow stars to smithereens, and even disturb entire galaxies. In this class, we will discuss what the latest discoveries are telling us about cosmic dangers, and whether they will affect us on Earth. We'll focus particularly on asteroids (rocky chunks) that come near to Earth, on how some stars die by exploding, and on "supermassive black holes" that can infest the centers of the great galaxies of stars. Illustrated with images from the world's top telescopes, and laced with some humor, the course will illuminate these ideas from astronomy in an accessible, enjoyable way. No science background is required.

Fraknoi, Andrew

Andrew Fraknoi retired as the Chair of the Astronomy Department at Foothill College in 2017, having taught introductory astronomy and physics at three different colleges and universities (including SF State). He was selected the California Prof. of the Year in 2007 by the Carnegie Endowment for Higher Education and has won several national prizes for his teaching. He is the lead author of a free, openā€source, electronic textbook in astronomy, and has written books for teachers, children, and science fiction fans. He appears regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi in recognition of his contributions to the public understanding of science.

Teacher
Fraknoi, Andrew
Category
General
Meeting Time
Monday PM 01:00-02:45
Meeting Rooms
Online
Per Course Price
$85.00
Seats
240 left of 400 max