Observational astronomy at UVA
How planets form and change.
I am an astronomer at the University of Virginia. My group uses Hubble, JWST, and ground-based telescopes to study how planets grow and how clouds, chemistry, and heat shape their atmospheres.
Artist's concept of a growing planet, an irradiated brown dwarf, and JWST observations of a distant planet.
Research at a glance
We observe planets and brown dwarfs over time to measure changes in their accretion, brightness, and spectra.
Planet formation
How young planets grow
We measure the light released as gas falls onto young planets. Repeated observations reveal how this process changes.
Read about accretion
Irradiated worlds
Irradiated brown dwarfs
We follow brown dwarfs around white dwarfs to measure how external heating changes their day- and nightside atmospheres.
Read about irradiated worlds
JWST observations
Changing planetary atmospheres
We measure planetary rotation and atmospheric variability, including the nine-hour rotation of β Pictoris b.
Read about the methodsProspective students
Interested in working with us?
I welcome inquiries from students interested in planet formation, planetary atmospheres, or astronomical observations. Please tell me about your interests, background, and when you hope to begin.
Our projects involve images, spectra, physical models, and scientific computing. The research pages and Deep Dive articles offer a starting point for learning about our work.
Teaching and mentoring
I teach students how we use observations and physical models to understand planets, stars, and galaxies.
ASTR 1250
Alien Worlds
Planets beyond the Solar System: how we find them and what we know about their properties.
ASTR 5110
Astronomical Techniques
How astronomical instruments work, how we reduce their data, and how we interpret the measurements.
Mentoring
Learn by doing
Students develop independent questions while working with images, spectra, time series, and models.
Selected recent results
Read the science behind three recent papers from our group.
2026 · Zhou et al.
Measuring a nine-hour day on β Pictoris b
Read the Deep Dive: Measuring a nine-hour day on β Pictoris b
2026 · Li et al.
Searching existing JWST images for cold giant planets
Read the Deep Dive: Searching existing JWST images for cold giant planets
2026 · Broski-Laing et al.
Day and night on a brown dwarf beside a white dwarf
Read the Deep Dive: Day and night on a brown dwarf beside a white dwarf