Professor Matt Griffin, Astronomy Instrumentation Group, Cardiff Uni. will be coming to talk to us on the subject of “Characterising Extra-solar Planets”. Brief summary:-
“Around 4,000 extra-solar planets have now been detected, and studying them is one of the most important areas of astronomical research today.
Using the technique of transit spectroscopy, it is now starting to be possible to study exoplanets and determine the chemical composition and physical constitutions in their atmosphere.
This will be an important objective for both NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, due for launch in 2022, and ESA’s ARIEL satellite, a purpose-built exoplanet observatory, to be launched in 2028.
I’ll describe the technique and what we can learn from it, and how one day we may be able to detect the presence of life on Earth-like planets.”
Usual time & place; 7:30pm, The Kings Head, Abergavenny.
Everyone and anyone most welcome.