An Interdisciplinary Look at Galaxy Classification
University
Shawnee State University
Major
Biology (Biomedical Science)
Presentation Types
Oral Group Presentation
Keywords:
Galaxy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Abstract
In the 20th century, galaxy properties have largely been correlated to their shapes. While this works for nearby galaxies, those that are far away require a different method. In this talk, we will show how we can use ideas from chemistry and biology to develop a new method of studying properties of galaxies. Using a sample of 100 galaxies from the state-of-the-art 2.5 meter SDSS telescope, we were able to identify which galaxies are actively forming stars and which are not, even when a clear image is unobtainable. We will also show how one can identify a galaxy’s chemical composition and how that relates to its ability to form stars. Essentially, in this project, we are investigating novel methods to classify galaxies that can be used to study the properties of the nearly 200 Billion galaxies in the universe.
Faculty Mentor Name
Barun Dhar
Faculty Mentor Title
Assistant Professor of Physics
Faculty Mentor Academic Department
Natural Sciences
Recommended Citation
Wickerham, Noah and Page, John, "An Interdisciplinary Look at Galaxy Classification" (2019). Celebration of Scholarship. 6.
https://digitalcommons.shawnee.edu/cos/2019/day1/6
Location
KRI 157
An Interdisciplinary Look at Galaxy Classification
KRI 157
In the 20th century, galaxy properties have largely been correlated to their shapes. While this works for nearby galaxies, those that are far away require a different method. In this talk, we will show how we can use ideas from chemistry and biology to develop a new method of studying properties of galaxies. Using a sample of 100 galaxies from the state-of-the-art 2.5 meter SDSS telescope, we were able to identify which galaxies are actively forming stars and which are not, even when a clear image is unobtainable. We will also show how one can identify a galaxy’s chemical composition and how that relates to its ability to form stars. Essentially, in this project, we are investigating novel methods to classify galaxies that can be used to study the properties of the nearly 200 Billion galaxies in the universe.