Saturday March 14th
Lecturer: Dr. Joe Callingham (ASTRON, University of Amsterdam)
Language: English
Shadows, Wobbles, and Hisses: How we find planets around other stars
In the past few decades, astronomers have discovered thousands of planets orbiting other stars — worlds that are far too distant and faint to photograph directly. Instead, we find them by carefully measuring tiny changes in a star’s light and motion, revealing the presence of hidden planets as they pass in front of their star or tug on it through gravity. In this talk, we will explore the clever techniques behind exoplanet detection and what these discoveries are teaching us about the diversity of planetary systems. We will finish by discussing the possibility of finding another Earth-like planet out there.
NB: This lecture will be given in English.