Direct imaging of extra solar planets. The cat dynamicist has the details. (because, linking, I've heard, is good.) Fomalhaut b, a nice name.
When I was on the road to becoming an astrophysicist, as a young grad student, I remember thinking how cool it would be to join the planet hunters. I mean being able to say that in your research you "discovered a planet" well how cool would that be. Alas I caught the quantum bug and so all those days spent studying the interstellar tedium are now lost, like tears in the rain.
More like this
(Based on actual events.)
Younger offspring (age 4.5): (singing softly to self while arranging a line of nine grapes on breakfast plate) Nine planets, fine planets, in our solar system. Nine planets, fine planets, go ahead and list 'em ... *
Kepler has discovered 11 new "solar systems" with 26 confirmed planets among them. They:
It seems the IAU ruling on what counts as a planet has stirred a little controversy in the Free-Ride home.
Dr. Free-Ride: (to younger offspring) Could you teach me all the words to your song about the planets.
Younger offspring: It's secret.
Interstellar tedium?
So you think your career works better if you don't planet?
Stephen: have you seen how much chemistry you need to understand to the interstellar medium. Definitely the interstellar tedium. :)
Dave: that's funny. I was literally doing the same thing. Started out in grad school in astrophysics thinking I might do extrasolar planet hunting until I got the quantum bug.
Ian: absolutely! :))
You've done a man's job, sir. It's too bad she won't live... but then again, who does?
Thank you, Dave, for quoting the line "lost like tears in the rain", which is surely among the most wonderful ad-libs in movie history ...
The study of complexity---when regarded as the study of rain as contrasted with the study of tears---is perhaps the perfect line of research for all who like to contemplate the "big picture."
Just `cuz I too admire this topic, I would like to point out that NASA's planet-searching New Worlds Mission is on-track to receive three billion dollars in funding.
What have they good that quantum information science has not got? Well, QIS arguably has better mathematics and sexier physics than planet-searching (although planet-searching does pretty well in both categories).
But planet-searching arguably has better engineering and a more-readily comprehensible mission. The result is that planet-searching ends up with top-quality fundamental research *and* top-quality engineering and applications.
The point being, the QIS might benefit from a similar upgrade.