Scientific Colloquium
February 26, 2009
2:30 p.m.
NOTE SPECIAL DAY
AND TIME
THE JOHN BAHCALL LECTURE |
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SANDRA FABER
LICK OBSERVATORY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA
CRUZ
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"The Galaxy-Forming Main Sequence"
Until recently the field of
galaxy formation resembled that of stellar evolution after the
discovery of the main sequence (1911) but before the discovery of
nuclear energy generation (1930’s). In both cases scaling laws were
known but there was not yet any theory for their origin. Now, new data
on galaxies are revealing not only new scaling laws but finally, thanks
to lookback studies, a glimmer at last of understanding. Interestingly,
mass seems to be the leading variable that determines the properties of
both stars and galaxies, but the physical reasons are entirely
different.