Planet Formation, Planet Dynamics, Protoplanetary Disks
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)
Since the discovery of the first exoplanet just over twenty years ago, the study of exoplanets has grown explosively. By now, astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, with an incredibly diverse array of properties. This growth will undoubtedly continue into the future, as new kinds of planets are being observed with increasingly advanced telescopes. Faculty in CIERA study exoplanets theoretically and build instruments to directly image them.
Research at CIERA
The groups of Professors Rasio and Lithwick carry out theoretical work and simulations to study the long-term dynamics of planetary systems. Both groups study the chaotic dynamics of multi-planet systems as they evolve. Professor Rasio’s group also studies planet-planet interactions, star-planet interactions and tidal disruptions, and planets in binary star systems.
Professor Ulmer’s group is developing new infrared camera technology to advance our understanding of planetary systems by directly imaging planets around other stars.
Professor Wang’s group works on developing and using new instrumentation (high contrast imaging, high resolution spectroscopy, optical interferometry) to study directly imaged planetary systems and measure properties such as mass, orbital configuration, composition, and spin.
News
Gallery
CIERA’s 12th Annual Public Lecture, “Strange New Worlds: Is Earth Special?”
CIERA’s 12th Annual Public Lecture, “Strange New Worlds: Is Earth Special?”
This lecture was presented on October 14, 2021 by Dr. Phil Plait, astronomer and best-selling author. Plait discussed the explosion in exoplanet detections since the 1990s (over four thousand so far!). These planets orbit a wide variety of stars, and themselves are all wildly different; huge, small, hot, cold, airless, or with thick atmospheres. The
Great Conjunction 2020
Great Conjunction 2020
PhD student Newlin Weatherford, who holds the Riedel Family Graduate Fellowship at CIERA, captured the Great Conjunction (“Christmas Star”) of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020 at 6:20 pm PT from Novato, California. Using his Panasonic DZ1000, Newlin wasn’t able to resolve Saturn’s rings, but we can see Callisto and Io and many faint
Newlin Weatherford, Northwestern CIERA
BLAST-TNG
BLAST-TNG
Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope – The Next Generation (BLAST-TNG) BLAST is a 5,000 pound balloon-borne telescope bound for the stratosphere over Antarctica, to search for the origins of stars and planets. This photo was taken by graduate student Paul Williams in the summer of 2018 in Palestine, Texas at the Columbia Scientific Ballooning Facility.
Gabriele Coppi / University of Pennsylvania
Balloons Above Antarctica: The Coolest Place to Put a Telescope
Balloons Above Antarctica: The Coolest Place to Put a Telescope
Northwestern Physics and Astronomy student Paul Williams presents a talk as part of the Northwestern Ready Set Go (RSG) program. The goals of the program are to increase awareness for the urgent need for excellent research communicators and to coach graduate and post doctoral researchers to improve their own presentation skills. The program focuses on three important
Northwestern's RSG Program
Highlights from Cosmos in Concert
Highlights from Cosmos in Concert
Developed by astronomer and musician Kyle Kremer, Cosmos in Concert brings together astronomy and live classical music to entertain and educate audiences. Through multimedia shows, in-school residencies, and public outreach events, Cosmos in Concert introduces a new platform for science education and outreach. Cosmos in Concert
Kyle Kremer / Northwestern
The Late Evolution of Our Solar System
The Late Evolution of Our Solar System
This movie, Life of the Pleiades, was generated from an interactive visualization that Aaron Geller developed with Mark SubbaRao using Uniview. The interactive version can be shown on a planetarium dome, or rendered into a movie (as shown here). A 3D version of this movie exists in the Space Visualization Lab at the Adler Planetarium.
Created by A. M. Geller and M. SubbaRao, using Uniview; music, narration and audio by A. M. Geller; dynamical calculation with stellar evolution performed using the NBODY6 code.
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Patrick Sheehan
NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Fellow
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