Open House Night in Astronomy: "What's Inside a Black Hole?" March 18, 2010

“What’s Inside a Black Hole? Better Ask Hawking” will be the question asked and answered at the next Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.

Dr. Darren Williams, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will discuss the mystery of black holes at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building. The presentation is free and open to the public, and will be followed by astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory, weather permitting.

“A black hole is a dead star compressed to ultra high density. No one can see inside a black hole, but we can use mathematics to study what’s there,” Williams said. “We know that the gravity of a black hole severely distorts space all around itself, which deflects both light and particles near its so-called event horizon. Beneath that horizon lies a netherworld that, according to some astronomers, including Stephen Hawking, might be a tunnel to another universe.”

Open House Nights in Astronomy are a public outreach program of the School of Science at Penn State Behrend. They are suitable for children 8 years and older. For additional information, phone the school at 814-898-6105.

Official Website: http://www.behrend.psu.edu