Titel: Exoplanets

Foredragsholder: Brandon Tingley

Tid: fredag d. 11 kl. 15.15 (kaffe, te og kage fra 15.05)

Sted: Aud. D1

Abstract:

Exoplanets, or planets orbiting stars other than the Sun, are objects of intense interest and study in the scientific community today. However, in the rush of enthusiasm, areas of basic, fundamental study are being overlooked. In particular the PLATO mission has set ambitious mission goals to measure the sizes of exoplanets to a precision of 2%. My students have embarked on a course of fundamental research to ascertain that these goals are realistic, looking in details of the impact of limb darkening and starspots on measured exoplanetary radii. Time permitting, I will also discuss another student project that looks into the effect that unknown stars mixing with the light of the exoplanetary host star on investigations into the exoplanet's atmosphere.