The Large Magellanic Cloud - Some of its Secrets (members meeting)

Name: The Large Magellanic Cloud - Some of its Secrets (members meeting)
Start: 2026-02-18T09:00:00+10:30
Location: Adelaide Planetarium

Schedule

Wed, 18 Feb, 2026 at 09:00 am

UTC+10:30

Location

Adelaide Planetarium | Elizabeth, SA

Emeritus Professor Roger Clay
University of Adelaide
Abstract: The Large Magellanic Cloud (the LMC) is very obvious to our naked eyes on any clear (dark site) night in South Australia. It is always visible and relatively large in the sky. It is a small galaxy which orbits our own Milky Way and isn't very much a subject of study by professional astronomers. It is too big for many telescope fields of view, and it appears to be a bit boring compared to black holes and AGNs. However, that is a pity since it contains magnetic fields stronger than any in our Milky Way and amongst other things, when it orbits through our galaxy it develops shock waves and a (preceding) tail of great interest.
In this talk I will describe how I came to find that the LMC is much more than just a boring irregular galaxy and found that its secrets mean that we have a close-by laboratory for understanding astronomy better.
Bio: Emeritus Professor Clay’s research interests are in cosmic ray astrophysics, cosmic magnetic fields, and the urban heat island environment. In recent years he has been an active member of the Pierre Auger Collaboration which built and operates the world’s leading ultra-high energy cosmic ray observatory in Argentina. He was top Physics honours student at Imperial College and obtained his PhD there working with on radio emission from cosmic ray showers within the Haverah Park collaboration in Yorkshire, UK.
Moreover, Professor Clay has worked at the University of Adelaide since 1971, leading the High Energy Astrophysics Group, studying galactic astrophysics, and developing radiation instrumentation. He has served as Head of Department on a number of occasions and as Dean of Science, being a member of the Committee, which restructured the governance of the University of Adelaide. He was a Council member for the Astronomical Society of Australia for a number of years and served as President. Internationally, he was a Council member of Commission 4 of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics. For a time, he was Australian spokesperson for the CANGAROO Collaboration with Japan. He was an advisor for the development of a research infrastructure roadmap for Germany and has advised the Australian Research Council a number of times.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC PLANETARIUM SESSION.
You must be a member or an invited guest of the Supernovas to attend ($5.00 per person entry fee).