SCR Talk – Unveiling the Secrets of Hidden Supermassive Black Holes

Unveiling the secrets of hidden supermassive black holes, 18 November, 4pm tea & cake, lecture from 5pm
Dr Vicky Fawcett

Almost every known galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its heart, including our own Milky Way, which have masses millions to billions that of our Sun. Understanding how these monster black holes shape their surroundings is crucial to our understanding of how galaxies evolve. Some black holes are very energetic, launching powerful winds and jets, and are referred to as “active”. We have recently found a population of these active black holes that are enshrouded by dust that exhibit peculiar properties. An emerging theory suggests that these dusty black holes represent a key stage in galaxy evolution, and so understanding their nature is extremely important.