Exoplanets

Undergraduate / Graduate

The discovery of planets in orbit around other stars is one of the newest developments in astronomy, which set off a race to characterize these "exoplanetary" systems. The architectures of planetary systems are set by the formation of the parent star and its protoplanetary disk, but they also encode subsequent evolution. We are now able to place our Solar System into the context of other worlds, and we find some aspects familiar and other aspects quite alien. A challenging next step is to find planets like the Earth in orbit around stars like the Sun. This course will review the techniques for discovery of planets around other stars, what we have learned so far about exoplanetary systems, and the driving questions for the future, including the quest for habitable environments elsewhere. Although quantitative analysis will be an important part of the course, students will not be expected to employ mathematics beyond algebra. (L) This course will be offered in the Spring 2027 Study Abroad Paris Astronomy program.