The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is an exciting and extraordinarily powerful infrared observatory. Its gold-plated mirror, which will unfold origami-style after the telescope is in orbit, is seven times larger than that of Hubble Space Telescope, and the whole observatory is shielded by a sun shade the size of a tennis court. The huge advance in sensitivity and image quality at infrared wavelengths will make JWST especially powerful for studying light from the earliest galaxies, for peering into dust-enshrouded stellar nurseries to observe the formation of stars, and for measuring the atmospheres of exoplanets to possibly discover signs of life in other solar systems.
The speakers will include JWST NIRSpec Instrument Scientist (and OSU graduate alumna) Dr. Susan Kassin, OSU Professor Adam Leroy, and OSU graduate student Ms. Caprice Phillips. Dr. Kassin will present an introduction to JWST and describe the science goals of some of the deepest exposures that JWST will take in its first year, Professor Leroy will describe how he will use JWST to study the birth of stars in nearby galaxies, and Ms. Phillips will describe the search for signs of life in the atmospheres of planets around other stars. These presentations will be at a level accessible to all, and there will be plenty of time to ask questions of these experts.
To register and find more information, follow this link.
