Carolin Crawford - Outreach Talks

I have many talks prepared on a wide variety of astronomical topics, which can be adapted for a range of different audiences. Examples include:

Small bodies of the Solar System Your place in the cosmos
The beauty and science of nebulae When galaxies collide
The early Universe The Sun, our nearest star
The red planet X-ray astrophysics: the high energy cosmos
The cool Universe Dark energy and the ever-expanding Universe
The search for dark matter An introduction to the Milky Way
Exploring the Solar System Star dust
Our nearest neighbour, the Moon The lives of stars
Atmospheric phenomena Comets - visitors from the frozen edge of the Solar System
Exoplanets and how to find them Echoes of the Big Bang
Large telescopes and why we need them Rotation in space
A voyage round Saturn, its rings and moons The sounds of the Universe
The age of the Universe Clusters of galaxies
The next big questions Quasars, the brightest black holes
How the Earth moves The transient Universe

Gresham Lectures

Many of these talks were refined during my 2011-2015 stint as the Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College in the City of London.
Short abstracts, video recordings, a copy of the slides and a transcript are available for all 24 of my Gresham lectures, at a dedicated Gresham College website.

These videos are also available on YouTube, and have amassed over 2.4 million views so far (by Nov 18)- thanks guys!

... and the others

Here are some short abstracts for talks listed above but not included at the Gresham website:

Views of the Universe
Astronomers depend on light for their understanding of the cosmos beyond the confines of the Solar System. Many of the most exciting discoveries over the last couple of decades were made possible by new generations of cameras and telescopes, both on the ground and in space. I shall discuss the new facilities anticipated coming online over the next ten years or so - how they’ll not only change our view of the Universe, but also alter the way we do Astronomy.
You can watch a a video of this talk from Feb 2019 as presented in a Darwin College Lecture

The science and beauty of nebulae
This talk is about interstellar space - not truly a vacuum devoid of matter, but inhabited by vast thin clouds of gas and dust that appear as glorious and complex structures. We showcase some of the most spectacular images of these ‘nebulae’, including many taken with the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. We shall look at them with new eyes, dissecting the pictures and learning how to ‘read’ what they tell us about the turbulent story of the birth and death of stars. Indeed, revealing the science behind the beauty.
You can watch a a video of this talk from March 2011 as presented in a Darwin College Lecture

Your place in the cosmos
Everyone knows space is big - but where and how do we and the planet we live on fit into the Solar System, or our own Galaxy? Then what lies beyond the Milky Way? This talk will introduce you to the scale, structure and geography of our Universe. Come along and get a new sense of perspective...

Dark energy and the ever-expanding Universe
Get up to date with the new cosmology - what are dark matter and dark energy? Why do astronomers think they account for the 'missing' 96% of our Universe, and what does this mean for the future?

An introduction to the Milky Way
How much do you know about the Galaxy we live in? You may know about the bright blue star clusters that spin around in the spiral arms, the diffuse pink nebulae that highlight where new stars are being born... But what is lurking at the core of the galaxy, obscured by swathes of dust clouds? Why do we think we can only observe a fraction of the matter out there? And what is the Milky Way's eventual fate...?

The wonders of the Solar System/Exploring the Solar System
This are catch-all titles for an adaptable talk that can cover either a very simple introduction-to-the-planets for youngsters, to more complete ideas and up-to-date information about the current progress in Solar System exploration.