SHAO Astrophysics Colloquia 

The Untold Stories of Andromeda: A High Definition View of The Circum-nuclear Environment in M31 with HST 

Speaker: Zhiyuan Li(NJU) 

Location: Lecture Hall, 3rd floor 

Abstract: The Andromeda galaxy (M31), which harbors the nearest LINER and the closest stellar bulge accessible in the optical, is an ideal laboratory for studying the physical regulation of galactic nuclei, and in turn the co-evolution of super-massive black holes and their host galaxies. In this work, I will provide an overview of the stellar and interstellar components that together define the circumnuclear environment in M31, and report our recent series of work based on multi-band HST images of this region, which have led to exciting discoveries including a steep extinction law, an intermediate-age stellar population, as well as hundreds of planetary nebula candidates. I will close with a brief introduction of our ongoing multi-wavelength campaign to advance our understanding of this unique galactic circumnuclear environment.