“THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE: ATMOSPHERES OF OTHER WORLDS”

What do other worlds look like and how will the James Webb Space Telescope help us better understand their properties and habitability?

JWST is an extraordinary technological achievement. Its ultra-precise optical system makes it a powerful tool for studying Extrasolar Planets (Exoplanets) -- worlds that orbit around other stars. Specifically, JWST is capable of measuring the chemical composition of exoplanet atmospheres with unprecedented sensitivity.

In this lecture, UC Observatories Director & acclaimed Astonomer Bruce Macintosh will discuss the most exciting exoplanet science planned for JWST: it will study giant planets like our own Jupiter by blocking the glare of bright stars, allowing us to understand how these worlds form. The telescope will also study smaller planets as they eclipse their host stars; we can identify chemical traces in their atmosphere when these planets are backlit by starlight. Prof. Macintosh will highlight recent results using both techniques.

The same techniques will be adopted by JWST and future successor telescopes to study Earth-sized planets and look for signs of life.

Professor Bruce Macintosh is the Director of University of California Observatories and the former Deputy Director of KIPAC (Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology). His research focuses on extrasolar planets, in particular characterizing such planets through direct imaging, and on using adaptive optics to sharpen the images of telescopes. Prof. Macintosh was the Principal Investigator of the Gemini Planet Imager, an advanced adaptive optics planet-finder moving to the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii.

Prof. Macintosh has worked extensively in astrophysics science policy, including the recently-completed Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 Decadal Survey, and believes strongly that the field of astronomy and physics is supposed to be more inclusive, diverse, and supportive.

This event will take place in the Hewlett Teaching Center (370 Jane Stanford Way) on the Stanford Campus. Upon arrival, please check in in the foyer of the building and follow signs for Room 200.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

DATE: Monday, January 30th
TIME: 7:00pm (PST)
LOCATION: Hewlett Teaching Center, Room 200 (Stanford) and YouTube
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: RSVP is required through EventBrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/astronomy-lecture-the-james-webb-exoplanets-registration-472812523987

The event URL can be found at the bottom of the EventBrite registration confirmation email.

Past lectures in the series can be found on YouTube and as audio podcasts.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

The UC Observatories (UCO) is a Multi-campus Astronomical Research Unit, headquartered on the UC Santa Cruz Campus.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA OBSERVATORIES
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064