Einstein’s theory of general relativity famously unified gravity with the geometry of the Universe, making two remarkable predictions:

• that light-rays take a straight path through space;
• that mass bends the space surrounding it.

Together, this means that where there is mass, light appears bent, a phenomenon known today as gravitational lensing and a tool used by astrophysicists to study almost everything in the Universe; from planets on stars neighbouring the Sun to weighing the entire observable Universe.

Durham University’s Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy James Nightingale will give a run-through of the exciting and innovative ways that astronomers are using gravitational lensing to obtain a new and unique view of the Universe and speculate how it may hold our best hope of one day disproving Einstein’s famous theory.

When Where

• Date:  Sunday 18th November 2018,
• Time: 7pm.
• Speaker: James Nightingale (Research Associate at the Durham University’s Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy).
• Venue: Will take place at the Cygnus Observatory (WWC Discovery Room).

Our speaker

Our speaker is James Nightingale, a Research Associate Durham University’s Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy.