Shaw-IAU Workshops by the OAE

This session will delve into the remarkable scientific achievements made possible by the JWST, including star and galaxy formation, exoplanet characterization, and insights into the early universe. Experts will also discuss the telescope’s advanced technology and its educational impact.

Schedule

• Tracking Down the Cosmic Origins of Earth’s Water with JWST

  
  

  Astronomers and geologists have long pondered how Earth became water-rich, with its oceans, glaciers and rain pouring from the sky. Water, which is made up of the first and third most common elements in the universe, is an easy molecule to form. However, the details of its delivery on rocky planets remain poorly understood. Thanks to the great power of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), it is now possible to study in detail the origins of water in the rocky planet-forming zone of disks, the birthplaces of planets. In this webinar, I will describe the fundamental properties of disks and present recent JWST results of PDS 70, a young protoplanetary system that hosts at least two giant planets. The much higher sensitivity of JWST compared to previous infrared space observatories revealed a water vapour reservoir in the rocky planet-forming zone of the system, indicating that rocky planets that may form there have access to a water reservoir. How much of that water will be incorporated into the cores of rocky planets? How much will be dispersed? I will conclude by discussing future prospects using JWST in tandem with other world-class observatories to continue tackling this fundamental question.

  

  Giulia Perotti (Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy)

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• Blowing Bubbles in Galaxies: A Zoo of Bubbles from JWST

  
  
  

  Eric Koch (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

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• Two Years of Cosmic Exploration with JWST

  
  

  Since the summer of 2022, JWST has been fulfilling its promise of making revolutionary discoveries across all areas of astronomy. From studies of the early Universe to detailed analysis of solar system objects, JWST’s groundbreaking capabilities continue to open new windows to the cosmos, capturing the imagination and wonder of both the scientific community and the public. This presentation will review the most impactful and unexpected discoveries of the observatory to-date, and will look at what JWST’s future investigations may bring.

  

  Macarena García Marín (ESA)

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• Creating the James Webb Space Telescope First Images

  
  
  

  Klaus Pontoppidan (NASA/JPL)

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• TBD

  
  
  

  Jan Scholtz (Kavli Institute for Cosmology, University of Cambridge)

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• Webb: Probing the material that builds planets

  
  

  The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST, or Webb) is orders of magnitude more powerful than previous missions and will therefore push the boundaries of human knowledge even further. This talk will focus on the birth of new stars and characterizing the material that builds planets. What are the ingredients for possible life outside our solar system?

  

  Ewine van Dishoeck (Leiden University)

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• Exploring Distant Worlds with the James Webb Space Telescope

  
  
  

  Néstor Espinoza (STScI)

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• TBD

  
  
  

  Milena Ratajczak (University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory)

  

  Aleksandra Birke

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Posters

• In praise of raw data: sustainable printing techniques to engage students with astronomical images

  Melanie King (Canterbury Christ Church University / Royal College of Art)

  Telescopes return almost daily images of celestial bodies that communicate science through colours, shapes and structures, contributing to our collective imagination of the Universe. The goal of this project is to bring back the “material” aspect of astronomical observations by exploring images from James Webb Space Telescope, discovering the richness of raw data, from artefacts like cosmic rays and bad pixels to the actual scientific information about planets, stars, galaxies. Images will be printed using sustainable analogue photographic techniques, acknowledging the importance of using materials wisely on a planet with limited resources. Two formats are being developed: an advanced printing workshop for art students, and a basic version for secondary schools.

• James Webb Telescope: Towards an expanded view of the universe

  Somaya Saad

  James Webb, the largest space telescope ever built, has traveled a million miles into space and is four times farther away than the moon to begin its work observing the formation of stars, planetary systems and exoplanets. Webb is designed to answer some of the biggest questions about the universe. Here we will review some of the first results of James Webb within two years of its launch. With its ability to capture the spectrum in the infrared range, James Webb can reveal a lot about the origin of the universe, the seeds of the first galaxies, the solar system and exoplanets and answer many related questions.