The study of resolved stellar populations in nearby galaxies was transformed by the high sensitivity and spatial resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and is now being transformed again with the more powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The results have far-reaching impacts ranging from providing the most detailed and quantitative measures of the star formation histories of low-mass galaxies, insights into their growth across cosmic timescales, and to what degree the local environment is the dominant factor governing the growth of the smallest galactic structures.
In this talk, I will highlight recent results from resolved star studies on very low-mass galaxies using HST data and present the first star formation histories derived using JWST data. A major focus will be on exploring the growth of dwarf galaxies as a function of mass and environment, which provide quintessential tests of theories on how the smallest structures in our universe survive and grow.
Speaker: Kristen McQuinn, Space Telescope Science Institute
Host: Allison Strom
CIERA Astrophysics
(847) 491-8646
Email