“Integral-field spectroscopy (IFS) allows Astronomer to obtain optical spectral across the entire field of view of their telescopes. It was pioneered in the late 1990s and is now become a mainstream and incredibly powerful observing technique. Indeed, IFS observations allow to map the stellar and gaseous properties of extended objects such as galaxies, stellar clusters or galactic nebulae, providing key insights on their formation and evolution.

In my talk I will provide several glaring examples from my own research at AOP showcasing the scientific power of IFS observations.”

Dr Marc Sarzi is Head of Research at the Armagh Observatory & Planetarium. He did his PhD between Padua and Heidelberg while working on supermassive black holes using the Hubble Space Telescope before moving to Durham and Oxford where he was part of the SAURON survey that pioneered the use of integral-field spectroscopy (IFS) in extra-galactic astronomy.

He has since then continued to play a major role in several IFS studies, including ones based on the MUSE instrument on the ESO Very Large Telescope.

His interests spans all aspects of galaxy formation and evolution, which he studies mostly from an astro-archeological perspective through the details study of relatively nearby galaxies. 

VENUE: Larmor Lecture Theatre, Astrophysics Research Centre, Physics Building, QUB.

Admission free, including light refreshments, All welcome.