David James
Assistant Professor, Director of 36" Hoku Ke`a Telescope, Physics & Astronomy Department, University of Hawai'i at Hilo
and CTIO SciStaff Candidate
 

"Darwinism in the Heavens: Open Clusters, Stellar Evolution and Calibrating the Ages of Stars"
 

Galactic open clusters are laboratories, provided by nature, for us to study stellar evolution. Using 1m-, 4m-, and 8m-class telescopes, I will show how spectroscopic and photometric observations of solar-type stars in open clusters allow us to establish a stellar chronometer and create an age-ranking system for an ensemble of nearby, well-studied clusters. Inter-comparison between different observational data-sets and a variety of theoretical stellar models reveals that our stellar evolution clock might not be set very precisely, and how the reading of its dials is highly subjective.


I will also present an overview of the University of Hawai`i at Hilo's new educational 0.9m Hoku Ke`a telescope, which is due to be installed on the site of the old University of Hawai`i 0.6m observatory on top of Mauna Kea. The characteristics and performance of new instrumentation to be installed on the Hoku Ke`a telescope are highlighted, and I will show how performing dedicated observational astronomy projects using these new facilities, we can direct a "get-your-hands dirty", professional research and development experience for our undergraduates.