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Simulating the Cosmos: Astrophysics Using a Computer

File rendering of the Kepler Space Telescope.
NASA
File rendering of the Kepler Space Telescope.
File rendering of the Kepler Space Telescope.
Credit NASA
File rendering of the Kepler Space Telescope.

  When thinking of astronomy, we often envision telescopes and pictures of objects in the sky.  To understand the systems fully, those items are certainly necessary...but not sufficient.  To gain a complete picture, we must compare our observations to the physical laws that govern the entire universe.  That process requires simulation, using computers to do calculations beyond human ability.  Writing, running and interpreting these simulations is the job of computational astrophysicists. Dr. Sarah Morrison of Missouri State University drops by STEM Spots to talk over the basic approach and some specific examples of simulating the cosmos.Listen to the conversation with Dr. Sarah Morrison here.

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Dr. David Cornelison has been working as an educator and scientist in Arizona and Missouri universities for the last 25 years. Since 2010, he has been the head of the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Materials Science at Missouri State University. His research interests lie at the intersection of experimental condensed-matter physics and astrophysics, while his educational efforts have focused on outreach to the K-12 school system. Most of all, he believes in curiosity-driven learning in the sciences and all other fields.