Cosmic Journey II: Voyage into the Abyss

Hitch a ride on the Chandra X-ray Observatory as it scours deep space for some of the most enigmatic and misunderstood objects in the universe: black holes. What are they good for? Absolutely something.

This is the second episode of a two-part journey celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's operation of the space telescope.

Join us this summer for a cosmic journey full of events and virtual resources from around the Smithsonian that will transport you from our closest star, the sun, to the far reaches of the universe.

Explore the full schedule, listen to the first episode in the series, and follow along on social media @Smithsonian.

Transcript

Guests:

• Kim Arcand, Visualization Scientist and Emerging Tech Lead for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
• Daryl Haggard, professor of physics at McGill University in the Trottier Space Institute
• Priyamvada Natarajan, astrophysicist and professor at Yale University  

Smithsonian Links:

• Get an overview on black hole basics—including the largest, farthest, closest and smallest—in a primer from the Chandra X-ray Center.
• NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched 25 years ago this July. Learn how the telescope is used to provide groundbreaking data on astronomical objects with guidance from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.
• Listen to the sounds of our Milky Way galaxy and the greater universe with 28 unique Chandra sonifications.
• Feast your eyes on stunning Chandra images of nebulas, supernovae, supermassive black holes, and more from Smithsonian magazine.
• Take the whole family on a Cosmic Journey this summer with events and virtual resources from across the Smithsonian! Explore kid-friendly projects with the Wonder and Awe activity guide, create out-of-this-world stories and posts with Chandra Instagram Experiences, and get answers to some of your biggest questions about the universe.