My work in science aims to improve our ability to identify, track, and characterize the comets and asteroids that surround us in the solar system—in essence, the what, where, and why of our planetary neighborhood. I'd like to understand the history they record and their behavior in various space environments—particularly, when exposed to extreme heating near the Sun—to inform humanity's future interactions with them.
In Daylight
The Sun is bright, so bright it blinds our view in its direction through most telescopes. The near-Sun sky, however, is home to the most active comets and asteroids in the solar system, volatilized by intense heating from the Sun. Spaceborne coronagraphs have revealed a vast population of these objects hiding in broad daylight. I develop observational strategies and models to explain and predict the behavior and evolution of these bright yet little seen objects. Details →
At Night
Away from the Sun, comets and asteroids can be studied in detail with a wealth of classical astronomical instruments under the cover of night. Dark sky observations can follow up on such objects after a near-Sun encounter, or evaluate their more primitive state before exposure to such extreme heating. I use such observations to translate between the observable characteristics of objects near and far from the Sun, and evaluate the physical effects of solar heating. Details →