Federica Bianco

Harvard Center for Astrophysics, University of Pennsylvania

"Chasing Shadows: Occultation Surveys of the Outer Solar System"

Astro Lunch Seminar, Friday, February 13, 2009
12:00 PM, 106 Allen Hall, PITT

Abstract:

The outer solar system is still largely unprobed and unknown.  I will describe the occultation technique -- the only known method to explore the small and the very distant objects that populate the outer solar system.  I will talk about the difficulties encountered and the achievements of this peculiar observational method, with particular attention to the TAOS and the MMT/Megacam surveys.