“ The Search for Interstellar Objects of Technological Origin” (A Free, Virtual Lecture)
SPEAKER: Dr. Abraham “Avi” Loeb, Harvard University
CO-HOST: Suffolk County Community College
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: https://bit.ly/AviLoebTalk
Is space trash from extraterrestrial technological civilizations lurking among natural interstellar rocks? Over the past decade, the first four interstellar objects were discovered. They include the interstellar meteor, IM1, detected on January 8, 2014; `Oumuamua detected on October 19, 2017; and Borisov detected on August 29, 2019. Among these, the first two appeared anomalous relative to known solar-system rocks whereas the fourth appeared to be a familiar comet. IM1 exhibited the highest material strength among all meteorites in the CNEOS catalog of NASA, `Oumuamua exhibited a flat shape and non-gravitational acceleration with no detectable cometary evaporation. In June 2023, 850 spherules were recovered from the Pacific Ocean site IM1. A tenth of these submillimeter meteoritic spherules displayed a unique chemical composition, different from familiar solar system materials. Currently, new Galileo Project Observatories are monitoring millions of objects near Earth in the infrared, optical, radio and audio and analyzing their nature with machine-learning software. Are any of them Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena? Forthcoming data from the Rubin Observatory in Chile will offer additional clues on interstellar objects.
Dr. Abraham (Avi) Loeb, the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, is a best-selling author of eight books, most recently Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars. He has also authored nearly a thousand scientific papers (h-index of 118). He led the first international project supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative and was a long-term member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. Dr. Loeb is the head of The Galileo Project, and the Director of the Institute for Theory and Computation within the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was the longest serving Chair of Harvard’s Department of Astronomy and the Founding Director of Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative. He is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Since 2016, he has Chaired the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative. In 2012, TIME magazine named Loeb as one of the 25 most influential people in space and, in 2020, Dr. Loeb was selected as one of the 14 most inspiring Israelis of the last decade. In 2024, Scholar GPS ranked Loeb number 3 in publication record and impact of research among all astronomers worldwide over the past 5 years.
Hamptons Observatory extends its deepest thanks to Dr. Loeb for generously taking the time to share his expertise and to co-host Suffolk County Community College for their kind collaboration.
While this lecture is free, donations to support our programs are needed and deeply appreciated regardless of the amount. To make a tax-deductible donation to support our mission, please click HERE. Thanks!
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS FREE, VIRTUAL EVENT: https://bit.ly/AviLoebTalk
Hamptons Observatory (HO), a 501(c)(3) NYS nonprofit that relies on public support has served the South Fork since 2005. Hamptons Observatory offers all of its programs free-of-charge so that everyone can enjoy the wonders of their Universe. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help support our work. Thanks!
