Episode 39 of Stories from Space — The “Cool” Universe: Infrared Astronomy with Charles Beichman
This week, I sat down with NASA astronomer and exoplanet researcher Dr. Charles Beichman, the Executive Director of the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI) at Caltech. He’s an esteemed scientist who has spent decades searching for exoplanets and led several path-finding missions. These include the Space Interferometer Mission (SIM), the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS),the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the 2 Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS).
One could say that he was looking for exoplanets before it was “cool.” Suffice it to say, the man has some very interesting stories. Very soon, he and a team of astronomers will be using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe Alpha Centauri, where they hope to find the first definitive proof of exoplanets in that system. I think I speak for everyone when I wish him and his colleagues the best of luck!
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Originally published at http://storiesbywilliams.com on May 11, 2023.
