Abstract

Invited Talk - Plenary

Wednesday, 11 September 2024, 09:30   (Aula 1&2 / virtual plenum)

Stars, Planets, and Fundamental Physics: Precision Astrophysics in the era of the ELT

Ansgar Reiners
Georg- August-Universität Göttingen

Larger telescopes allow ever better investigation of astronomical objects and the laws of physics. High-resolution optical and infrared spectroscopy deliver more and more detail pushing the limits of data acquisition and theoretical modeling. For example, massive amounts of high-fidelity spectra were and are being taken in the search for extrasolar planets and the study of their atmospheres. Here, understanding stellar spectra is a major limitation. The ultimate stellar spectra are obtained from the Sun that is becoming a standard reference allowing investigation of systematics at a totally new level. The lessons learned will be applied to the high-resolution spectrograph of the ELT, ANDES, for which science goals include measuring variability of the fine structure constant, and the accelerated expansion of the universe.