Debra Fisher: "Searching for Earths"
May 20, 7:00 -- 8:0 P.M., UW Campus, Architecture Hall, room 147
Science fiction writers often depict the billions of stars in our
Milky Way galaxy as homes for other Earths; so-called M-class
planets where life abounds. The science is now catching up to the
fiction as more than 300 planets have been discovered orbiting other
stars in the past decade. The most surprising attribute of detected
planets is their diversity, and we have yet to find anything that reminds
us of home. However, humanity is taking the first steps into the solar
system and beyond with the goal of detecting thousands of New Worlds.
This talk will focus on the types of planets that have been found
so far, with an eye toward understanding how our solar system
compares. We will also discuss the conditions that are important for
life as we know it and our future plans to one day obtain a picture of
a pale blue dot orbiting a nearby star.
This event is free and no ticket is required.
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