Expanding Horizons: Invisible Things in the Night Sky

Name: Expanding Horizons: Invisible Things in the Night Sky
Start: 2025-10-16T18:30:00-08:00
End: 2025-10-16T19:30:00-08:00
Location: 3600 Denali St., Anchorage, AK 99503

Schedule

Thu Oct 16 2025 at 06:30 pm to 07:30 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

3600 Denali St., Anchorage, AK 99503 | Anchorage, AK

"Expanding Horizons: A Lecture Series at the Library," where curiosity meets knowledge. This series features esteemed professors from the University of Alaska Anchorage discussing a range of topics to inspire and enlighten. Begin with captivating history stories, then explore space's wonders. Practical life planning sessions offer valuable insights. Each lecture promotes inquiry and lively discussions, fostering connections among learners. Join us to broaden your perspectives and ignite your passion for lifelong learning.
Dr. Katherine Rawlins
Invisible Things in the Night Sky
Discover the unseen universe—from neutrinos to black holes—with astrophysicist Dr. Katherine Rawlins.
Thursday, October 16, 2025 6:30pm | Wilda Marston Theatre
As part of the Anchorage Public Library’s new Expanding Horizons Lecture Series, we are proud to welcome Dr. Katherine Rawlins, Professor of Physics at the University of Alaska Anchorage, for a special lecture Invisible Things in the Night Sky.
There are beautiful things you can see in the night sky with your human eyes, such as the moon, stars, and some of the planets. But there are also things you can only see with the assistance of a telescope, or things that emit light in wavelengths that humans can't see. And then there are stranger things -- other than light itself -- coming from the night sky... can those be "seen"?
Can we see a black hole? A gravitational wave? A neutrino?

About the Speaker:
Dr. Katherine Rawlins is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She earned her B.S. in Physics from Yale University and her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and she teaches core courses in introductory physics and labs.
Her research centers on cosmic ray and neutrino astrophysics, with a focus on projects through the IceCube Observatory collaboration. She has contributed to studies of the cosmic ray energy spectrum, particle composition at extreme energies, and the search for high-energy neutrinos from beyond our galaxy.