es2601 — Organisation Release
Black Holes and the Cosmic Web of Galaxies — A Journey Through Space and Time
Public talk on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science
13 January 2026
On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, The Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) is organising its annual free event "Women in Astronomy" on Thursday, 5 February 2026 at 19:00 at the ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre.
This year, Dr Dominika Wylezalek, Center for Astronomy / Astronomisches Rechen Institut at Heidelberg University, will give a talk Black Holes and the Cosmic Web of Galaxies. Before and after the lecture, the astronomy exhibition at the ESO Supernova will be open, where you will have the opportunity to talk to female scientists and engineers working on various topics in the field of astronomy.
If you would like to attend, tickets are free, but you need to book a seat in advance at this link.
The lecture Black Holes and the Cosmic Web of Galaxies by Dr Dominika Wylezalek will take place from 19:00 to 20:00. In this lecture, you will learn about the universe, which is filled with a network of matter in which galaxies reside like nodes in a cosmic web. The centers of many of these galaxies host supermassive black holes whose influence reaches far beyond their immediate surroundings. The talk will address how and when galaxies formed in the early universe, how they joined together into large-scale structure we observe today, and what role black holes play in this process. Current observations and theoretical models provide new insights into the mutual relationship between galaxy evolution and the activity of supermassive black holes.
Before the talk, visitors are welcome to visit The Living Universe exhibition or watch a planetarium show. The ESO Supernova will remain open continuously until 21:00 for this event and other visitors.
MPE actively promotes equal opportunities for women and girls in science. The aim is to promote the share of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), where they are still underrepresented. The first MPE “Women in Astronomy” event took place on 11 February 2019 in the ESO Supernova.
More information
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
The Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) works on various topics in modern astrophysics, using mainly experimental but also theoretical methods. Its name was chosen to reflect its research — the physics of space — but also because of its research methods.
Many observations have to be carried out above the Earth’s dense atmosphere. These are complemented by instruments at ground-based observatories whenever possible. In central workshops, in-house staff build detectors, spectrometers, cameras and telescopes, as well as complete payloads for satellites. The observations are complemented by some experiments in laboratories and theoretical work.
The direct interaction of observers and experimenters under the same roof reinforces cooperation, improves the coordination of activities and often results in the early identification of promising new research directions through the interplay of hypotheses and new observations.
Links
- Book your ticket for Black Holes and the Cosmic Web of Galaxies
- ESO Supernova website
- Plan your visit
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Contacts
ESO Supernova Planetarium & Besucherzentrum
Garching b. München
Tel: 08932006900
Email: supernova@eso.org
About the Release
| Release No.: | es2601 |