As part of a research group called LITTLE THINGS, Dr. Caroline Simpson is studying dwarf galaxies in order to determine how tiny galaxies form stars. The group has been working with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) to observe and document these dwarf galaxies.
One of them, known as Barnard’s Galaxy, was recently featured as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (February 8, 2013). To see a picture of the galaxy and read more about it, click here.
Only a week later, on Friday morning, February 15, a Russian meteor streaked through the sky, injuring over 1000 people and causing damage to buildings. Later that same day, asteroid 2012 DA14 crossed Earth at 17,150 miles above its surface – the closest ever predicted Earth approach, without impact, for an object of its size. To read more in the FIU News story and hear Dr. Simpson discuss the Russian meteor, click here.
As progress continues on FIU’s Stocker AstroScience Center, researchers in the Department of Physics are looking forward to continued contributions in the mysteries of space.
