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After a successful launch on Christmas Day 2021 following more than a decade of delays, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is now in orbit and beginning to send us some of its first observations. In this talk Matt will explain how these images, and those which will follow in the coming years, will transform our understanding of the universe. In particular, he will focus on how infrared observations of extrasolar planets can help us to probe the atmospheres of remote and exotic worlds, and even aid us in the search for extraterrestrial life.

This will be held in person at the Institute of Astronomy - doors open 7:30pm

About our speaker:

Matt Nixon is a PhD student at the Institute of Astronomy, working with Prof Nikku Madhusudhan on the characterisation of exoplanet atmospheres. Later this year he will join the University of Maryland as a postdoctoral researcher to analyse some of the first exoplanet observations made by the James Webb Space Telescope.