From Amateur Telescopes to Cutting Edge Science: Perspectives on a 4.5” Telescope In-Person
When a professional astronomer looks through a small telescope, they see the same things amateur astronomers do. In this talk, astronomer Matthew Shetrone will discuss some of the wonderful things we all might see through backyard telescopes like the library's own 4.5 inch reflector telescope, and the connections between the visible cosmos and some of the most interesting and profound questions astronomers still ask.
Matthew Shetrone is the Deputy Director of UC Observatories. Shetrone received his undergraduate degree in astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin and completed his Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz. From his experience with optical telescopes at McDonald Observatory as an undergraduate and the Keck and Lick Observatories as a graduate student, he was hooked on optical astronomy. Regarding his job, Shetrone says, "on a daily basis I get to work with some of the most talented astronomers in the world and the largest and most well-equipped telescopes in the world. Who could have a better job than mine?"