Speaker: Gregory Sivakoff (University of Alberta)

Stars are born, and stars die, but not all stars fade quietly into the night after their death. In fact, some are even more spectacular in their death and undeath. Many classes of the stellar undead can be described in terms of the classic beings from fairy tales, horror, and science fiction: vampires, werewolves, zombies, banshees, and more. But don't worry — just as Van Helsing hunted Dracula, astronomers like Dr. Sivakoff are on the case of hunting the stellar undead. He will introduce these cosmic beasties, discuss some astronomers' favorite hunting tricks, and reveal a few essential astronomical lessons learned from the stellar undead.

Recorded live on Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

The STScI Public Lecture Series offers talks on a diverse selection of cosmic topics, typically held the first Tuesday of every month. The 2024 Public Lecture Series is continuing an online-only format. This lecture will be presented with a livestream to YouTube, and questions can be asked in the YouTube chat. As usual, the recording will also be posted on our YouTube channel. We will, as necessary, adjust from the traditional first Tuesday at 8 PM schedule to accommodate our speakers.

Live and archived recordings:

• News and introductions
• Hunting the Stellar Undead (YouTube)