Date: 11/15/2006 - "Travelling at the Speed of Thought: Einstein, Astronomy and the Early History of Gravitational Waves"
Public Lecture (free) Presenter: Dr. Daniel Kennefick, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Poultry Science Auditorium, 7:00 PM
The concept of gravitational waves arose within early twentieth century physics in imitation of the theory of electromagnetic waves, and the first concrete theory is due to Einstein. But the idea had implications for astronomy because it suggested that the orbits of stars and planets ought to decay with time as energy was radiated away by these gravitational waves. This lecture describes the evolution of thought from Edmond Halley, Laplace, Eddington and Einstein.
Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences
202 Old Museum Building, University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
Tel. 479-575-7625 Fax. 479-575-7778 csaps@uark.edu
The concept of gravitational waves arose within early twentieth century physics in imitation of the theory of electromagnetic waves, and the first concrete theory is due to Einstein. But the idea had implications for astronomy because it suggested that the orbits of stars and planets ought to decay with time as energy was radiated away by these gravitational waves. This lecture describes the evolution of thought from Edmond Halley, Laplace, Eddington and Einstein.