We’re used to thinking of archaeologists as Fedora-wearing, curse-breaking dusty types, fossicking about in the sands, interpreting cultures from a single bone. Our Galactic Archaeologist and Real Scientist this week, Nick Bate, sifts through data the way terrestrial archaeologists sift through dirt.
Nick talked about his work on a different kind of PAndAS, the Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey, and how to piece together the life and death of stars and galaxies from it’s a huge optical survey of the Andromeda galaxy and its surrounds.
Pulsar data, PAandAS data, some fairly awesome telescopic shots from Nick’s recent visit to the Victor M Bianco Telescope in Chile, and how to perceive the life and death of stars and galaxies, billions of years after they change neighbourhoods and move. It’s truly amazing stuff, so much so that the estimable Carol Duncan, ABC Broadcaster, had him on her afternoon show on Radio Newcastle for an interview. So thank you, Dr Nick (we just love saying that) for a riveting week on Real Scientists. Be sure to check out Nick’s Storifys, Part 1 and Part 2,in case you missed any of the tweets. Be s.ure to follow Nick’s adventures on his regular account, @ickbat