Steve Kerby, Penn State University
The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was originally designed to study gamma-ray bursts, but now does many types of multi-wavelength astronomy. Though lesser-known than flagship spacecraft like the James Webb or Hubble space telescopes, Swift has nonetheless made a staggering variety of discoveries since its launch in 2004. Join PhD candidate Steve Kerby for a discussion on the history of the plucky satellite, its diverse observational capabilities, and an ongoing project to investigate mysterious supermassive black holes in the distant universe.
News from the Universe starts at 3:48
Main talk starts at 13:24
NOTE: Due to software difficulties, the latter part of the talk (from about 48:00) had to be recorded at a separate time. The questions at the end only reflect the earlier part of the talk that was recorded live.
Host: Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science Institute
Recorded live on Tuesday, December 6, 2022
More information: www.stsci.edu/public-lectures