The universe is comprised of billions of galaxies—encompassing all of space, all of time, and all of its contents. It all started with a Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago. On Nov. 16, particle physicist and cosmologist Oscar Hernández spoke about the Big Bang at AstroMcGill’s event Where, When &[Read More…]
Tag: space
Gravitational waves when neutron stars collide
A global effort, with contributions by McGill astrophysicists including Assistant Professor of Physics in the McGill Space Institute (MSI), Daryl Haggard, and postdoctoral researcher Melania Nynka, has detected gravitational waves coming from the collision of two neutron stars in orbit. Among the many implications of this discovery, the origin of[Read More…]
The Montreal Space Symposium explores the future of aerospace research in Canada
From Oct. 5 to 6, the Montreal Space Symposium welcomed a variety of speakers to showcase recent advancements in Canadian Space research. Sylvan Laporte discusses why space engineering matters In an exciting talk at the Montreal Space Symposium, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President Sylvan Laporte discussed current and past achievements of[Read More…]
Full Coverage: The Solar Eclipse is coming, here’s how to prepare
As the Aug. 21 solar eclipse approaches, science fans and space enthusiasts across North America are preparing for the event. Even though the eclipse’s path won’t cross McGill campus, students shouldn’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime event. Here is everything you need to know: What is an eclipse? A solar eclipse occurs when[Read More…]
Nanosatellites: The future of space exploration?
NASA has always been an institute of great scientific accomplishment and innovation, but this comes with a hefty price tag. As the agency moves forward in its three-stage plan to put humans on Mars, the public agency’s budget is under heavy scrutiny. Increased pressure has been put on NASA to[Read More…]
Gravitational waves and the exploration of the universe
On the evening of March 9, Leacock 132 was filled with anticipation and intellectual curiosity as the crowd took their seats to hear Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professor Rainer Weiss give the Anna I. McPherson Public Lecture, sponsored by the McGill Department of Physics. Weiss’ presentation was titled “Exploring[Read More…]
What to make of NASA’s announcement of newly discovered planets
What do a beer, a Roman Catholic religious order, and a newly discovered planetary system have in common? They are all named Trappist, but only one of the three could potentially hold the key to life beyond Earth. On Feb. 22, NASA announced the groundbreaking discovery of seven new exoplanets—planets[Read More…]
Canadian universities team up to track down rare radio signals in space
Space. The first image that comes to mind is probably the night sky, a tranquil blanket of empty blackness dotted with twinkling stars, but this image is deceiving. Not only are stars much more sparse in the universe than the sky may lead one to believe, but the vast voids[Read More…]
What are the rules in Star Wars? MILAMOS aims to clarify military law in space
Outer space plays a vital role in every person’s daily life—from sending a text message, to hearing a broadcast on the radio, to swiping a credit card. However, terrestrial warfare is also dependent on space. So, if one country interferes with another country’s satellites, does this constitute an act of[Read More…]
McGill professor wins top Canadian science award
Professor Victoria Kaspi, astrophysicist in McGill University’s Department of Physics and Director of the McGill Space Institute, was awarded the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, the nation’s top scientific honour, last month. Kaspi is one of the world’s leading experts on neutron stars, tiny stellar remnants[Read More…]
