Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle

University of Arizona/Steward Observatory's Dr. Thomas Beatty

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Dr. Beatty will discuss the devices and methods he uses in his research to identify exoplanets and, in particular, Earth-like, habitable planets. His talk includes how we learn about their atmospheres and weather and what that tells us about the possibility of life on those planets, evidence of life and even technology.

Dr. Beatty joined Steward Observatory 2018. His research focuses on observational studies of exoplanets, from first detection through to characterization of their atmospheres and climates. He is an expert in using near-infrared telescopes on the ground and space to make super precise measurements of the light from exoplanets and their atmospheres. On the ground, Dr. Beatty primarily uses the Large Binocular Telescope, and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, and in space he uses the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes (and JWST in the future). The goal of his research is to use these measurements to better understand the cloud properties, composition, and formation histories of giant exoplanets, and to work towards the eventual characterization of the atmospheres and climates of smaller planets than might host life.