James Webb Space Telescope lecture

[JeffKeryk]

I will post the recording when it's available. We live in an incredible time!
Over 6000 planets have been found around other stars, but we only have information about their atmospheres are like for a few dozen. JWST is being used to understand atmospheres.

 

[spasm3]

There is no telling how many will be found in the coming years, that are in the goldilocks zone.

 

[Kira]

Thanks.
Looking forward to it.

 

[JeffKeryk]

In the 1980's, I believe we only knew of 1.

 

[JeffKeryk]

There is no telling how many will be found in the coming years, that are in the goldilocks zone.

Ah, you've been holding out on us...

The Goldilocks Zone, aka the "habitable zone" is the region around a star where conditions are theoretically right for liquid water to exist on the surface of a rocky planet, making it a potential location for life as we know it.

JWST instruments capture starlight that filters through the planet's atmosphere. The light is spread into a spectrum to measure brightness. Different gases absorb specific wavelengths of light. Specific molecules (water, CO2, etc) can be identified in the planet's atmosphere.

I hope I said this right...

 

[spasm3]

Ah, you

Ah, you've been holding out on us...

The Goldilocks Zone, aka the "habitable zone" is the region around a star where conditions are theoretically right for liquid water to exist on the surface of a rocky planet, making it a potential location for life as we know it.

JWST instruments capture starlight that filters through the planet's atmosphere. The light is spread into a spectrum to measure brightness. Different gases absorb specific wavelengths of light. Specific molecules (water, CO2, etc) can be identified in the planet's atmosphere.

I hope I said this right...

 

[JeffKeryk]

Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures

Last night's lecture should be posted shortly.

 

[buster]

I believe in the 90's we were still unsure if there were many planets.....if I'm remembering correctly. It is a great time to be alive. Big discoveries are on the horizon.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Here's the lecture: