Christy A. Tremonti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christy A. Tremonti
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Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University University of Arizona Colgate University |
Occupation | Associate Professor at University of Wisconsin–Madison |
Known for | Astronomy |
Christy A. Tremonti is a well-known astronomer. She works as a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She studies the universe by observing it with telescopes.
In 2005, she was a special researcher called a Hubble Fellow. This was when she was at the University of Arizona. She earned her PhD degree from Johns Hopkins University in 2003. Before that, she got her first degree (BS) from Colgate University in 1994. Her PhD research was about how galaxies form stars.
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What Does an Astronomer Do?
Christy Tremonti is very interested in how galaxies are born and how they change. She studies galaxies that are actively forming new stars. She also looks at how energy from supermassive black holes affects galaxies. This is called AGN feedback.
She also studies galactic winds. These are strong outflows of gas from galaxies. Another area she researches is galaxy mergers. This is when two or more galaxies crash into each other.
How She Studies Galaxies
Christy Tremonti uses special tools to study space. She uses spectroscopy, which helps her learn about the light from stars and galaxies. This light tells scientists what galaxies are made of. It also shows how they are moving.
She also uses data mining. This means she looks through huge amounts of information. She finds patterns and new discoveries in this data.
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Christy Tremonti is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This project creates detailed maps of the universe. It collects information from millions of galaxies and stars.
She was one of the first scientists to use this survey. She used its massive amount of data to study how galaxies change over time.
Her Important Research
Christy Tremonti has written over sixty articles for science journals. These include important publications like Astronomical Journal and Astrophysical Journal. Most of her articles are available online for other scientists to read.
She has worked with more than 150 other scientists. Some of her main partners are Timothy M. Heckman and Jon V. Brinkmann.
Top Discoveries
Her most important research looks at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. One of her most famous articles is about the "mass-metallicity relation." This research helps explain how the amount of heavy elements in a galaxy is linked to its size. She studied 53,000 star-forming galaxies for this work.
Global Astronomy Work
Christy Tremonti is a member of the International Astronomical Union. This is a group of professional astronomers from all over the world. They work together to promote astronomy. They also help name new celestial objects.