Join us TUESDAY, MARCH 11 at 6:30PM ONLINE via Zoom for an exciting presentation about the search for Earth 2.0! Learn how astronomers are using space telescopes to study exoplanets, aka planets outside of our solar system, and reasons they believe these exoplanets may support life. The most promising method of detecting and characterizing Earth-like planets is to observe them directly. But this technique, known as direct imaging, is extremely challenging, as planets easily get lost in the glare of their nearby stars. In fact, seeing a planet is roughly equivalent to observing a firefly next to a distant lighthouse! Drawing on his experiences as a researcher at the Keck and Magellan telescopes, Joshua Liberman will describe how astronomers use cutting-edge instruments to view distant planets.
About Joshua Liberman: A second year PhD student at the University of Arizona’s Wyant College of Optical Sciences, Joshua Liberman’s research involves imaging exoplanets with ground and space-based telescopes. Previously, Liberman worked as a researcher at the California Institute of Technology where he helped commission the Keck Planet Imager and Characterizer instrument, and developed techniques for improved starlight suppression. A Reading, Massachusetts native, Liberman received a Bachelor’s degree in astrophysics from Colgate University in 2022.
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