NRAO astronomer Paul B. Demorest has been selected to give the Fred Kavli Plenary Lecture at the 237th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, to be held virtually, on 11 January 2021.


Astronomers Find Wandering Massive Black Holes in Dwarf Galaxies
Studies with the VLA indicate that roughly half of the massive black holes in dwarf galaxies are not in the centers of those galaxies. This gives astronomers new insights into the conditions in which similar black holes formed and grew in the early history of the Universe.

A Weakened Black Hole Allows its Galaxy to Awaken
Astronomers have found the first example of a galaxy cluster where large numbers of stars are being born at its core. The discovery revealed new details of how supermassive black holes affect their host galaxies.

Towering Balloon-like Features Discovered near Center of the Milky Way
An international team of astronomers has discovered one of the largest features ever observed in the center of the Milky Way – a pair of enormous radio-emitting bubbles that tower hundreds of light-years above and below the central region of our galaxy.

Black Hole’s Tug on Space Pulls Fast-Moving Jets in Rapid Wobble
A spinning black hole pulls in material from a companion star, and its gravitational effect causes ejected jets of material to wobble like a child’s spinning top.

The Giant In Our Backyard
For decades astronomers have dreamed of seeing a black hole. That dream may soon become a reality.