Dr. Doug Roberts

VP of Science Education and Director of the Frost Planetarium

TITLE

Golden Age of Astronomy Visualization

ABSTRACT

Over the past two decades, advancements in various technologies – sensors, massive multi-segment mirrors, space-based platforms, global interferometric arrays, etc. – allow us to explore the universe in new ways. The data from each new regime of spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions, wavelength and sensitivity give new views of previously observed objects. The value these new data come from detailed comparisons to other images and datasets. These multiwavelength studies provide new insights into astrophysical phenomena. A big part of the story is how interactive visualization to explore these complex datasets is a large part of the discovery process. I will go over how advances in visualization are driving new understanding of objects, from planets in our solar system to supermassive black holes to large scale structure.