Sharjah astronomy body hosts workshop on exoplanets

The workshop aimed to introduce participants to planets that orbit stars beyond our solar system

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The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah (UoS) organised a specialised workshop titled “Exploring Exoplanets” as part of its ongoing efforts to promote astronomical knowledge and raise public awareness about the latest space technologies.

The workshop aimed to introduce participants to planets that orbit stars beyond our solar system, explore their various types, and explain the methods scientists use to discover and study them.

The workshop combined theoretical knowledge with hands-on experiments. The first day featured a lecture on exoplanets and their various discovery methods. Participants examined a database of discovered exoplanets and presented their research findings. On the second day, participants used specialised equipment to understand the method of detecting exoplanets by observing the dimming of a star's light caused by a planet passing in front of it.

The workshop concluded with a special show at the Sharjah Planetarium, highlighting the locations of discovered exoplanets in our galaxy, as well as the Sharjah Star and the planet discovered orbiting it, which has been named “Barjeel.”