Astrophiz 91 - Dr Chenoa Tremblay - Molecules in Space

Astrophiz 91: Dr Chenoa Tremblay – “Molecules in Space & Dark Magnetism” Listen: Our fabulous featured guest today is Dr Chenoa Tremblay, who is a Postdoctoral fellow in Dark Magnetism with the CSIRO and a member of the Commissioning team for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) facility in remote Western Australia. Chenoa introduces us to Polarisation and Dark Magnetism and Astrochemistry and tell us how she uses the ASKAP array to detect and identify complex molecules in space. We also take a look at some of her earlier research where she provided proof that high-mass stars can form in isolation. Her most recent research as a CSIRO Fellow involves using the SKA precursor ASKAP telescopes to conduct observations of our Galaxy at 724 MHz to detect and characterise the polarimetric properties of carbyne in the Milky Way, and we also hear about her work with the GASKAP Spectral Line Survey Chenoa also does an array of fantastic outreach work in the community and schools and is the contact person for the CASS biennial Radio Astronomy School at the Australia Telescope Compact Array near Narrabri, NSW. Listeners who are physics graduates are too late for this year’s school, but can look forward to next time in 2021. Follow @Chenoachem on Twitter Our regular feature "What’s Up Doc” for Astrophotographers and Observers is presented by Dr Ian Musgrave, where he tells us what to look for in the night and morning skies for the next two weeks, and in ‘Ian’s Tangent for this episode, he tells us about Tardigrades on the Moon. Follow @ianfmusgrave on Twitter In the news: .1. We report on a Nature paper about Giant Bubbles (as in freaking GINORMOUS!) found at the centre of our galaxy by astronomers using the MeerKAT (SKA precursor) telescope in South Africa. .2. The film Ad Astra has triggered some science purists. It’s a film. It’s entertainment. There is no rule that says films have to be scientifically accurate. Just go and enjoy the film.