Caltech Scientist to Reveal Latest in Search for Earth-like Exoplanets at Mt. Wilson Event

The fascinating quest to find Earth-like planets beyond our solar system has captured the imagination of scientists and the public alike. On June 1, Caltech research scientist Jessie Christiansen will share her latest findings on the search for Earth 2.0, a potentially habitable exoplanet that could mirror our own, at Mount Wilson Observatory’s “Talks & Telescopes” event. Christiansen, a lead scientist at the NASA Exoplanet Archive and a member of the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech/IPAC, has dedicated her career to discovering, characterizing, and cataloguing exoplanets — planets that orbit stars outside our solar system. She has played a key role in numerous NASA missions, including Kepler, K2, and the ongoing Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) project, which aims to identify and study Earth’s nearest planetary neighbors. According to the event’s press release, “In her presentation, Dr Christiansen uses the discovery of exoplanets as a gateway to conversation about underlying physics problems NASA is trying to solve — while instilling science literacy in the audience.” She will delve into the intriguing possibilities that arise from the potential discovery of another Earth-like world and explore how such a finding could change our perspective on our place in the universe. The evening will take off with Christiansen’s talk at 5:30 p.m. in the Mount Wilson Auditorium, followed by a unique opportunity for attendees to observe the wonders of the night sky through the observatory’s historic telescopes. Guests will have access to both the 60-inch telescope and the iconic 100-inch telescope, which Edwin Hubble used to discover the expanding nature of the universe. Attendees are invited to bring a picnic or purchase dinner from an on-site food truck, allowing them to savor the evening while immersed in the natural splendor of Mount Wilson. Founded in 1904 by astronomer George Ellery Hale, the