Speaker Lorenzo V. Mugnai
What does it take to build a telescope capable of detecting water on a distant world? In this talk, we’ll embark on a journey that starts with a single, powerful scientific question: Is there water on an exoplanet? From there, we’ll follow the trail of decisions that scientists and engineers must make to turn that question into a working space observatory.
Together, we’ll explore each choice step by step. Should we observe from Earth, from a high-altitude balloon, or from space? Which wavelengths of light carry the clues we’re looking for? What kind of detectors and optics do we need? How big must our telescope be to see what we want to see?
We’ll answer these questions like a puzzle, where each answer shapes the next piece. The result: by the end of the talk, we’ll have designed our own space telescope, one that borrows elements from real missions like JWST and Ariel, blending ambition and practicality to meet our scientific goal.
Along the way, we’ll look behind the scenes at how real missions are conceived, showing how every scientific dream must wrestle with physics, budgets, and the harshness of space. The talk is aimed at anyone curious about space science, astronomy, or how big ideas become real machines that explore the cosmos.
No technical background is required: just curiosity and imagination. Join us to discover how, question by question, we can build a telescope that helps us answer one of humanity’s greatest mysteries: are we alone?
This talk will take place on the first floor of the Centre for Student Life, room 1.26/1.27.