Archived AstroTours
Twists and Turns while Searching for Strange Stars
By Anna O'Grady on 02 June, 2022The scientific method, as we learned in schools, involves making a hypothesis and testing it to come to a final conclusion. But have you ever wondered what happens when the conclusions are different than expected? In this talk, I'll walk you through the process of trying to find Thorne-Zytkow Objects -- supergiant stars that have swallowed neutron stars. I'll explain how I identified and analyzed a group of interesting stars in another galaxy, and the unexpected twist along the way.
About Anna O'Grady
Anna O'Grady is a PhD student at the Dunlap Institute and Department of Astronomy at the University of Toronto. She studies stars much larger than our own sun, exploring which stars explode as supernovae and their pre-explosion behaviour. Anna received her Bachelor's degree from her home university of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Outside of work, she enjoys photography, video games, and fiction writing.