Talk by Dr Vito Squicciarini – University of Exeter.
How many planets are out there? Do they all resemble the planets of our Solar System? And most importantly, how can we uncover these worlds and study them from afar? I will describe the 30-year journey of exoplanet studies, from the first unexpected detections to the latest discoveries enabled by powerful ground-based and space-borne telescopes. We are now able to probe the atmospheres of exoplanets and even, thanks to direct imaging, to take pictures of some of them. With a new generation of instruments on the horizon, we are now on the verge of knowing how common Earth-like planets are – and if they are inhabited.
Dr Vito Squicciarini is an astronomer interested in the discovery of new exoplanets via direct imaging and in understanding how these worlds form and evolve. After obtaining his PhD in Padova (Italy), he worked in Paris on the statistical analysis of large observing campaigns within the COBREX project. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Exeter, where he looks for young planets using ground- and space-based instruments such as the JWST.
This talk will take place during the Norman Lockyer Observatory Family Fun Day for which a £15 per adult entry charge applies. Children 0-17 go free.
This year there are four space-themed talks – Planet-forming discs with the James Webb Space Telescope, The quest for new worlds, Chaos in weather forecasting and Space Weather.
In association with the Norman Lockyer Observatory.
