UofT AstroTour: The Curious Case of Cold Giant Planets
Cold gas giant planets with long orbital periods make up half of the planets in our Solar System, yet we have observed only a handful of similar exoplanets around other stars. Is this due to the limitations set by our observation methods, or are cold giants truly rare in nature? In this talk, Miranda Herman will explore the difficulties associated with finding such exoplanets, describe her efforts to increase the number of known cold giants, and discuss how they can inform us about the population of exoplanets as a whole.
About the Speaker
Miranda Herman is a 3rd-year PhD student in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics at UofT. Her research focuses on the characterization of exoplanets and planetary systems, from elusive cool gas giants to the hottest planets ever discovered. Outside of astronomy she enjoys playing board games, reading, and planning trips to much warmer destinations.
Planetarium tickets will be handed out at 7:45pm outside of the lecture room on a first-come first-served basis. Any remaining planetarium tickets will be available after the talk.
Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Registration: Not required
Organized by: Graduate Astronomy Students Association. The AstroTours are generously financed by the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Location: University of Toronto, McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP 103), 60 St George St., Toronto, ON M5S 1A7