Physics Program Presents
Small Stars Rule the Galaxy!
Friday, April 7, 2023
Hegeman 107
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT/GMT-4
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT/GMT-4
Jennifer Winters, Harvard University
Small, low-mass stars are the most numerous types of stars in the Galaxy, with 75% of all stars expected to be of spectral class M (and thus known as M dwarfs), corresponding to masses roughly 10–60% that of our Sun. However, due to their low luminosities, studying this population has been particularly challenging, and many of their properties—such as their ages, activities, multiplicity—remain unconstrained. With numerous on-going surveys searching for planets around these low-mass systems, it is critical that the stars themselves be thoroughly understood. In this talk, I will present the results of my survey to identify and discover the very closest companions to the nearest M dwarfs. I will then highlight LTT 1445, a triple M dwarf system at 7 parsecs that hosts two transiting rocky planets, to illustrate why it is so critical that we understand exoplanets' host stars.For more information, call 845-758-6822, or e-mail [email protected].
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT/GMT-4
Location: Hegeman 107