On alternate Mondays at 13:00, the Astronomy department hosts astro*lunch and journal clubs for staff, postdocs and postgraduate students. Astro*lunch is a departmental platform for academic visitors to talk about their research, for staff, postdocs and students to share their latest results, and for general updates on departmental activities.

The next astro*lunch is scheduled for 11 March 2019.

Monday 25 February 2019 [13:00 - 14:00] 

Speaker: Prof Eric Wilcots (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA)

Title: The role of the group environment in galaxy evolution

Abstract: We are carrying out a comprehensive observational study of the gas content and galaxy transformation of a sample of ~600 galaxy groups in the local Universe. We review our understanding of the distribution of HI-rich galaxies in groups and how that depends on the dynamical evolution of the group. We present new results on how the group environment influences the transformation of galaxies via a study of stellar populations and star formation histories of galaxies. Lastly, we discuss our results tracing the distribution of the intragroupmedium, what role it plays in the evolution of the gas content of resident galaxies, and how it is influenced by AGN feedback in the group environment.

Monday 28 January 2019 [13:00 - 13:30]

Speaker: Dr Juergen Ott (NRAO)

Topic: TBD

Venue: AST seminar room (RW James building, room 5.40) - UCT upper campus

Co-ordinator: Dr Nathan Deg